It's Just Business
by Captain Hilts
Summary: A year has passed since Mizo's demise, and Kras City is thrown into chaos after the death of their crime lord. Razer has set his sights on the top place among the criminals, but someone wants him dead before he can even make his first move...
1. I

Another night at the bar- it was becoming too much of a habit. But there was something oddly endearing about the place, from its creaking floorboards, to the juke box that cranked out grungy rock songs, to the cheap- but surprisingly good- alcohol. There was the usual assortment of finger foods (which no one dared to touch) and a constant haze of smoke that hung thickly in the room, dimming the already dull yellow lights above. Several men sat in front of the long wooden bar, their shoulders slouched as they sipped their drinks and talked to one another about the recent pre-season races.

The pre-season in Kras City was always promising no matter the previous year's outcome. It was a time when veteran racers took to the track once gain to prepare for the Grand Prix; when young racers or rookies were shown the brutality of the sport. There was a sense of renewal with each reevaluated team or improvement of vehicles. Almost like a rebirth of sorts.

If Razer found anything worth pining after, racing was it. Nearly a year had passed since he'd come out of retirement to join the fray in the previous Grand Prix. He'd forgotten how it all felt: to cross the finish line with engines screaming, the roar of the crowd as another explosion crackled through the air; the smell of oil, fuel and exhaust. It was as close to love as he was ever going to get. But the wound of defeat still stung him relentlessly- he was certain that boy Jak had ruined his reputation. Of course he didn't believe it at first; there had never been a time when he felt intimidated by anyone, let alone outshined. To have a _boy_ beat him at this sport- it was unbearable.

For the first time in his life, Razer had doubted himself.

It had taken almost a year of drowning in sweet wines and burning whiskey, long nights and many women to rediscover himself and his love for the sport. He'd done away with such stupidity quickly, and managed to carve out quite a niche in the crime business. Currently, there were two head bosses in Kras City- Razer and that prissy heiress to the Krew fortune, Rayn. He was roughly a few more losses away from working for her, which was one thought he couldn't stand. Ever since that boy and his rat had won the Championship, she'd taken power and became the top crime boss in the city. Her practical over-night success disgusted him; the woman didn't know how to run Kras and she never would. And since Mizo was finally dead, she'd become an unstoppable force.

Razer let out a short sigh, ignoring his drink for the moment as he brought the cigarette to his lips once again, wincing at the drunken laughter coming from the far corner of the room. It was always the same idiots running around the place; the same buffoons arguing over trivial things. Even the girls seemed to be clones every time, no matter what they said their names were.

A small puff of smoke coiled into the air as he watched the fish swim smoothly through the clouded glass of the tank behind the bar. He could see his bored and indifferent reflection staring back at him, observing the other blurry figures move rapidly around him. He took another drag on the cigarette, but paused after catching a peculiar figure in the window pane. Someone had come into the bar, wearing a dark coat, the hood obscuring their face. The cigarette hung limply from Razer's lips as he watched from the corner of his eye, now acting as if he hadn't noticed. He reached for his drink, lightly tapping the glass with his fingers. Sudden movement caught his attention and his eyes widened in surprise.

The gunshot was loud, causing a brief silence in which only the grinding of the rock music could be heard. Razer's knife had already been thrown just before the sharp crack of the pistol and it struck the bullet in midair, a large yellow-orange spark flickering above. Screams followed, and every person in the bar scrambled to their feet, swarming for the exit.

Razer hit the floor hard, wincing at the pain in his back as he watched the patrons of the Bloody Hook run around over him, catching flashes of their horrified expressions before he kicked the stool away from him to free his legs. He'd pushed from the bar to flatten himself to the ground, knowing he was momentarily hidden from the assassin by the people that continued to run around him. He rolled for cover, hearing tables and chairs thud to the floor as people continued to scream. Razer braced himself behind a fallen roundtable, daring a look over the edge. The assassin removed their hood as the citizens elbowed past; Razer's eyebrows arched in surprise.

It was a woman.

She tossed aside her spy pistol, useless to her now, and reached for another weapon hidden beneath her long coat. She pulled out a submachine gun strapped to her thigh, all stealth aside, pointing it to the ceiling and firing several rounds into the overhead lights. The bar was plunged into semi-darkness, the emergency lights glowing a dull amber above. Remaining patrons screamed once again and headed for the exits desperately, throwing each other around as they went. The assassin continued her sweep of the bar, the machine gun chattering loudly in the confined space. Several bullets punched through the fish tank, shattering the first pane of glass. Water spilled on to the floor, along with various flailing fish. The second pane spider-webbed, people outside screaming in surprise.

Razer gnashed his teeth, tossing his smashed cigarette aside. With a flick of his wrist, a small sliver throwing knife appeared in his palm from the device strapped to his forearm. He threw the blade over the edge of the table, watching the silver flash as it went. The assassin spun on the spot and moved out of the way at the last moment, her sapphire hair whirling around her face as she turned. Razer dove from his hiding spot just ahead of the hail of bullets that shattered the table in its wake. He threw another knife from his back and it managed to slice a hole through the sleeve of her jacket. She let out a small gasp of pain as a trail of blood blossomed through her coat and she growled, leveling the machine gun again.

Razer knew she was confused at where he was, he found her in too difficult, a position to get directly with a dagger. As gun-fire roared all around him, splinters of wood and food flying through the air, he searched frantically for a way out. Another blade slapped into his palm and he hurled it over his head, eyes trained on the flashing metal as it ricocheted with a small crack off the rafters.

The knife stuck into the floorboards littered with hot casing, shuddering slightly against the assassin's boot. A small smirk curved her ruby lips as she spun to point the gun at his hiding place.

Razer had anticipated her move, leaping for a place behind the bar as bullets riddled the second mahogany table he'd used for cover. The gun-fire was deafening and the woman growled in frustration. Razer rolled to a crouch, knowing he needed to even the fight. He was fully confident with his beloved daggers, but against that submachine gun they were mere toys. Water was still flowing behind the bar, dripping on to his coat as he leaned against the wall. He looked up, his gaze settling on the ruined fish tank. Razer narrowed his eyes.

With gun-fire still blaring throughout the room, he sprang to his feet and leapt for the tank, slamming his shoulder into the glass. The weakened structure buckled from his weight and his body crashed right through it. Several shards of glass sliced into his exposed skin and he grimaced in pain, landing hard on the concrete below. Spitting out gritty water and cursing under his breath from the pain, he heaved himself to a standing position and broke into a run.

The woman leaned through the hole in the fish tank, slipping through it effortlessly. Her boots crunched glass as she went, aiming the machine gun at the receding figure. Her lips curled into a snarl as her finger pulled the trigger, the Vulcan barrel rounds blaring in the quiet night, hot shells clinking to the street beside her.

Razer cursed again as the bullets whined over his head, shooting up chips of concrete or whining off metal street signs with a spark. He darted into an alleyway, thankful for the darkness and the precious time he had to catch his breath. Dark strand of hair now hung irritatingly to the middle of his forehead; water dripped from his nose and his jacket felt much too heavy on his shoulders. Fighting with the straps, he pulled it from around him, making the decision to discard it in the alley.

The air felt cold on his bare arms and pressed through the thin cloth of his black t-shirt as he ran down the remaining pathway, occasionally stepping into the warm pools of light from the tiny slit windows highlighting the walls around him. He needed to get out of this sector; he needed a gun. His car was parked by the Bloody Hook, and he couldn't go to it; the assassin would be expecting that. She'd be waiting for him.

He could hear the distant screams of the frightened citizens echoing through the air as he ran and increased his pace, boots stomping through puddles. Razer looked around feverishly as his thoughts raced to find a coherent plan. With a gasp, he came out of the alley on to a sidewalk, traffic roaring ahead. Brilliant headlights flashed over him as they went.

Razer gritted his teeth as he watched the vehicles drive past, his dark eyes scanning the area for a logical way out. He raised his eyebrows upon catching a glimpse of a parked motorcycle; it rested crookedly in a spot off to his left, the neon lights flashing repeatedly in its polished chrome.

It wasn't his style, but it was better than nothing.

He slung a leg over the bike, sitting comfortably on the leather seat as he fished through his pockets. His fingers found the small pick-lock he'd had since his teen years- something that came in handy more often than others believed. Watching the alley for the assassin, Razer jammed the pick into the ignition, twisting until the engine turned over. He smiled and stomped on the kick start. The bike shuddered to life beneath him and after a final glance at the alley, he revved the motor and took off into the streets, tires screeching as he went.

The assassin reached the end of the alley, breathing sharp breaths, her hair obscuring her vision. She knew he had come this way; her eyes hunted for him, fingers coiled tightly around the grip of the machine gun. Tires squealed suddenly and her head snapped to the left to follow the sound. She grunted a dull laugh, cocking the rifle as the motorcycle rocketed up the street, a fine mist trailing behind it from puddles on the ground. She smiled maliciously and fired. Bullets tore up the concrete in a neat trail, but he managed to outrun them. The assassin was pleased to watch a touch of fear play across his face as he threw a glance over his shoulder. She ran after him, still firing in short bursts, the muzzle flashes illuminating her glowering face.

It had literally been years since he'd driven a motorcycle, but Razer was no longer surprised by what he could do in a desperate situation. At that point, he was facing his current predicament like a race; adrenaline coursed through his veins as the bike roared and bullets thudded the street behind him. The woman was good- he had to give her that.

The avenues widened into four lanes ahead and the air cooled, stinging against his skin. He squinted, hearing the bullets finally cease, the sound overwhelmed by the roar of traffic. Stealing another glance over his shoulder, he wasn't surprised to find the girl still following after him, running with the machine gun raised. He smirked and continued forward, his eyes following the blinking lights along the small bridge he was now crossing. The ocean distorted the moon's reflection below as the bike headed into the shipping sector of the city, large cargo trains chugging sluggishly forward on their respective tracks. Razer narrowed his eyes and gunned the engine as he lurched forward over the tracks, ignoring the blaring horns that sounded as the trains caught him in their headlights.

The woman watched as he vanished from view behind them, her brow knitted into a deep 'v,' her mouth twisted into a growl. The digital display on the SMG read a bold red '0.' She tossed it into the shadows and ran after him.

It wasn't that easy.

With another turn, and he was free of the train, the wind still biting at his skin. He knew the waterfront docks eventually looped around to the crowded working class neighborhoods and if he could get there, he'd be able to lose her amidst the filthy citizens. Razer gripped the steering bars tightly, moving to shift to a higher gear as the bike lurched on to a main road. Briefly, he looked off to his left across the ocean, watching the city lights ripple on the surface.

Where the hell had she come from? More importantly, why was she after him? Several possibilities flashed through his mind; there were plenty of reasons why someone would want him dead, but it felt different this time. She could have been one of his past 'loves' out for bizarre revenge- anything seemed possible. But he soon ruled out that thought, knowing for certain a girl out to kill him for something personal would have come first with a clichéd speech which she announced to the entire bar before attempting to shoot him. The woman after him was a professional, from her little spy pistol, to that fancy hip-holstered SMG.

Razer's gaze was still focused on the ocean alongside him, the cold wind causing his body to tense and his fingers to tighten around the handle bars. A bright yellow light suddenly swept across the ground beneath him, finally settling on his motorcycle, illuminating him fully. He turned and his eyes widened.

A combat racer was following him, painted a striking cerulean with stripes of jet black snaking along the hood and side panels of the car. Sitting behind the wheel was the assassin, the wind snapping back her thick sapphire hair in waves. Razer could see her face more distinctly; her skin glowed a gentle amber from the headlights, her eyes narrowed to slits, her ruby lips parted in a wide grin.

She was laughing at him.

Razer growled, watching as she pulled back the turbo release and the car shot up the remaining lane to come up on his right side. He couldn't tell what kind of racer it was, though it looked like any model he would have gone up against on the track. He tried to shake the surprise from his thoughts, but found it difficult. The car pressed in closer to him and he wrenched the motorcycle to its highest gear. He managed to pull ahead, and the woman's car glided smoothly into place behind him. The odor of burning fuel and rubber was strong; the street crunched beneath the massive tires and the engine roared. Razer's blood boiled at the thought of her laughing at him, of taking pleasure in his distress. If he strained his ears, he could hear her voice over the clattering of the vehicle, a loud, clear laugh much like his own. She was obviously enjoying the chase.

Razer tore his eyes from the sight behind him, training his gaze ahead, knowing the path to the working class sector would be coming up on his right. She could corner him or eventually force him over the railing into the water if he didn't get there soon. The combat racer edged closer to him; he could feel the heat rising from the engine to warm his bare arms. He detested the way she was toying with him, knowing full well she could have killed him easily with one of the deadly weapons on that car.

Gritting his teeth angrily, he twisted the throttle and the bike complied, growling to a crescendo as it went. Razer heaved the motorcycle to the right, wincing from the effort. He narrowly avoided clipping the front bumper of the racer, the bike tipped at a precarious angle. He threw a hand out to balance himself, fingers grazing the concrete before the vehicle bounced over a rut in the road, disappearing into the close-built shops and buildings of the poor section of town. The combat racer screeched to a halt, too large to drive down the narrow cobbled streets. The assassin cursed, glowering at the receding taillight. She punched the dashboard and shrieked.

Razer parked the motorcycle with an abrupt skid, leaving behind a black mark against the dusty cobble as he went. He ignored the inquiring looks of the citizens that passed him, hopping off the seat to feverishly search the satchels strapped to the bike for a weapon. He still had the device on his wrist, but was running out of throwing knives. The sharp coolness of steel suddenly pressed into his palm and he smirked, pulling a silvery pistol from the satchel. It fit perfectly with his hand, and he smiled at his luck. The grip was strangely styled however- a clear, sturdy glass served as small 'windows' that revealed the line of bullets waiting to be fired. _Wastelander design. How interesting. _

He tucked the newfound weapon beneath his belt at the back of his slacks, pulling his shirt over it as he continued onward through the sector. Having never set foot inside the working class area, Razer took a moment to look around. His shoes scraped up dirt with each step; the place was let by strings of hanging lights and an occasional neon sign advertizing a business or product. There were a few large television screens flashing ads or the occasional grinning face of G.T. Blitz, which now struck Razer as bitterly ironic rather than irksome. A small group of children ran past him, giggling amongst each other in spite of the fact their clothes were baggy and their shoes may has well have been rags. It seemed odd to him that children could find happiness in a place as filthy as this one. He observed them play around in the street for a moment before continuing his trek through the region. Another alleyway suited him just fine, and he quickly pressed into the shadows, doing his best to ignore the posters of G.T. Blitz that plastered the wall. It was almost nauseating to see the man's face so many times; relief came in the form of graffiti that managed to cover the last few before the brick could be seen once again.

Razer heaved a sigh, pausing a moment to lean against the wall, running a hand through his tousled hair. Bangs hung annoyingly into his eyes and he pushed them back only to have them fall once again into view. It was then he realized how desperately he wanted a cigarette. Without really thinking, he looked up toward the sky, and jumped nearly a foot.

She was there already- standing above him holding a rifle in her arms. Razer could just barely make out her smile before he leapt out of the way, falling into a roll. The rifle boomed, echoing loudly as smoke curled into the air from the end of the barrel. A hail of bullets punched through the brick right where his head had been. _Lovely- it's a shotgun this time._

Razer jumped to his feet, knowing she would follow. He pushed open the nearest door and disappeared inside. The air was at once warmer and strongly smelled of coffee and several spices that made his stomach twist with hunger. Razer ran past the confused people sitting together in the little café, hearing the door slam open behind him, shuddering on its hinges. The screams came soon after.

Razer braced himself behind one of the walls, pulling out the pistol. He quickly racked the slide to click a round into place, then turned and fired. The woman vanished behind the check-out counter near the entrance as bullets shattered the pile of dishes waiting to be cleared along several bottles of ketchup and hot sauce. The cash register dinged and slid open clumsily. Knowing she was distracted, Razer pushed himself from the wall and sprinted down the corridor to his left. The wine rack ahead of him suddenly exploded, sending shards of glass and bursts of liquid flying. His heart reached a pound at the realization she'd almost killed him with that shotgun blast. He slipped slightly as he ran, cursing as he struggled along. After taking a sharp right, he kicked open the emergency exit and headed back into the street.

The alarm began to rattle above as the assassin crunched over the remaining shards of the wine bottles, drawing a hand over her chest to clear the ketchup from her shirt. With a hard flick of her wrist, the sauce splattered red on the wall and she jogged the rest of the way to go after him once again.


	2. II

His lungs were burning by then. Pathetic, perhaps, but the cigarettes were what did him in. It barely registered in his mind that he'd run straight through the entire working class area to the Marina. Cold air struck him from the ocean and he pressed on, smelling the strong saltiness of the water. The baritone horns of cargo ships in the bay echoed loudly in the night. A shadow fell over him and he looked up to see several battered warehouses, each with boarded windows and machinery lying dormant for the weekend. Razer winced at the pain in his chest, breathing heavily, his breath coming up in the faintest wisps of vapor. He jogged for one of the shipping crates and hid behind it, throwing his head back to gulp air into his lungs. Sweat shined brightly on his cheeks and forehead.

"I'm getting tired, Razer," came a surprisingly melodic voice.

He pressed his back to the crate, slightly frowning. He wouldn't have expected her voice to sound so sweet; oddly calming. Cautiously, he peered around the edge of his hiding spot, barely able to see. The woman came into view, framed by the large crates, stopping to stand in the center of the 'maze.' Moonlight washed over her fully in a cool-white glow, and he could see her in full detail.

Her long trench coat hung to the back of her calves, her hands still clutching the shotgun tightly. She was tall, wearing a form-fitting crew shirt and slacks that stretched to just above her knees. Her eyes swiveled side to side as she hunted for him; her long sapphire hair spilled over her shoulders, odd curls flipped outward. A single braid framed the left side of her face and swayed as she walked. Her footsteps were almost silent.

"I have to say, I'm actually happy it's gone like this so far," she continued, her voice ringing in the empty lot, "I was going to be so disappointed if I killed you on the first try."

Razer couldn't stop the smirk playing across his face. The girl had every right to show arrogance, but perhaps she had too much of it. He checked the remaining rounds in his pistol and decided he had plenty. Leaning off the wall, he took another glance at her and this time curiosity struck him.

"I admire your skill with a weapon, Angel," he called to her, unable to control his smile, "Tell me, have we met before?"

He jumped behind another crate as the shotgun went off again, shattering something into splinters off to his left. His voice had carried and she'd aimed farther away, much to his relief. The shot echoed loudly through the air as the assassin continued her trek through the crates, a scowl across her face.

"I've never had the pleasure," she said with a sneer.

Razer studied her face from his hiding spot, frowning curiously as he moved to another position further away. There was something familiar about her; she had a heart-shaped face, a small pointed nose and a birthmark on her left cheek. A pang of recognition suddenly came to him.

"Ah, yes," he murmured. Raising his voice, he continued. "I seem to recall someone like you winning several of the pre-season races. That would explain the lovely vehicle you so skillfully tried to kill me with."

The shotgun roared and Razer started slightly, looking behind him at the box he'd just left. She was getting closer.

"So you finally guessed it," the assassin laughed, "There's been a lot of buzz around me hasn't there? The newest up-and-coming-racer, ready to "make the crowd scream" as Blitz would've said." She paused to roll her eyes. "The man always was a bit of a blow-hard."

Razer couldn't help laughing, louder than he'd wanted to. The girl tensed at the sound.

"My, my. You certainly have a way with words. I have seen you race as a matter of fact- you're not half bad. Though you're still an obvious amateur."

The following shotgun blast blew a hole in the crate beside him and he fell to the ground, horribly startled. His heart roared in his ears. _Too fucking close!_

"If you call me that one more time, you'll die a slow and painful death," she shouted, "I can promise you!"

Warily, the former racer rose to his feet once again to peer through the hole, heart throbbing against his chest. He could see that she was furious, turning to search for him again. Razer flicked his wrist and another dagger fell into his palm, his mind swirling with the latest near-death experience. Anger was steadily replacing the adrenaline. She had apparently thought that she had aimed at random, and was looking for him off to the right, unaware of his position. Razer growled and aimed, throwing the knife hard. It tumbled end over end, heading straight for her. The assassin caught the flash of steel at the last second and held up the shotgun. The blade stuck into the stock with a dull thud, trembling slightly. She turned and fired in his direction.

_Blind luck_, he thought bitterly. He'd already moved on to the next hiding spot, muttering swears under his breath. This woman was completely different from anyone else he'd ever had to fight off- clearly she was almost as good as he was. And it was in that moment he remembered her name. Razer braced himself against his latest hiding spot, making sure he'd put a fair distance between them.

"An assassin moonlighting as a Combat Racer- how exciting. Krew sent you, didn't she, Jyil?" he called, smirking at the look of alarm that flashed across her face. It was obvious she hadn't expected him to remember her name.

"Rayn finally made her move, I see," Razer continued.

Jyil let out a short laugh, covering up her surprise with a shake of her head.

"If you want to say that- I'm doing all the work."

Razer could sense the hint of irritation in her voice. He pushed off the crate and began to circle around her, listening for what she had to say next. _Whatever keeps her distracted_. He flicked another knife into his hand and kept walking, her voice masking the sound of his footsteps.

"But the game's over now," she went on, "I've got to get this over with; it's not fun anymore once they start back talking."

"Not one for conversation?"

She didn't say anything in reply, instead marching forward to go after him. Razer knew she was still confused on where he was and continued weaving through the maze of shipping crates, his spindly shadow following behind. She was ahead of him now, her back to him. He was dangerously close to her, close enough to see her finger nails were painted a glossy pink. She was maybe a crate away from him, now. Razer was certain if he made any sort of sound, she would turn and kill him. If he was going to make his move, now was the time.

"You know," Jyil said, "It's almost a shame for a guy like you to die this way but…it's just business, right?"

Razer lunged from behind the crate, throwing the knife as he went. It stuck fast into her thigh and she shrieked in pain; he wrapped his arm tight around her neck. The shotgun clattered to the ground and he kicked it away, moving to press the pistol hard against her temple. She thrashed around, but his grip was too strong. His arm tightened around her neck and her hands clawed at him, nails digging into his flesh.

"The same could be said for you, darling," Razer told her, teeth bared.

Jyil growled, struggling fiercely, doing her best to ignore the hot needles of pain traveling up the length of her leg. In one swift movement, she hooked her hands together and drove her elbow into his side. He groaned in pain and his grip loosened just enough for her to move. She chopped his wrist and the pistol flew from his hand, clanging to the ground and out of sight. Jyil scrambled for her rifle instead, but he'd already recovered, disregarding the throbbing ache in his gut. Jyil's hand grasped the stock of the shotgun and she gathered it up quickly into her arms to pump a round into place. Razer took a running dive and slammed into her, wrapping his arms tightly around her in a tackle. The shotgun roared, bullets missing them both by inches. They hit the ground hard and rolled several times; the rifle flew from Jyil's hand and skidded away from them with a loud scrape, spinning in place for a few seconds before the barrel stopped, trained on the pair. Jyil screeched after landing on her wounded leg, managing to drive a knee into Razer's solar plexus and tried to squirm away, her fingers still straining for her weapon. Razer snatched the knife in her thigh and pulled. She screamed and whirled to punch him savagely, cuffing him good across the cheek. He was distracted long enough for her to roll away from him and struggle to her feet. With a sharp gasp of pain, she pulled the dagger from her leg and threw herself at him, one arm hooked under his, the other slung over his shoulder.

"You… dirty…_bastard_…" she spat.

Razer suddenly wrapped his right arm around hers, locking her elbow straight and yanking hard. She shrieked and flipped cleanly over his back, slamming back down to the concrete. The dagger stained with her blood spun away from them. Jyil struggled viciously, managing to punch him hard right in the jaw, good enough to almost allow her escape once again. He practically fell on top of her in order to keep her from moving, his elbow digging into her left arm to pin it down. Her other hand was trapped painfully at her side by his knee. She only stopped struggling after the cold blade of a butterfly knife was pressed against her throat. Jyil glowered at Razer's smile, gasping for air.

"Interesting turn of events, wouldn't you say, Angel?" he said, breathless from their struggle.

Jyil clenched her teeth, feeling a strong surge of rage course through her veins. The knife pressed closer to her throat, stopping her movement before she even started it. Razer could see the contempt blazing in her eyes. He arched an eyebrow; they didn't seem like a killer's eyes to him: a beautiful tawny gold, slightly almond shaped with dark lashes. He watched as she glowered at him, moving to struggle again.

"I'm sure you've enjoyed this little 'distraction' as much as I have," Razer began, "But it ends now."

"Get off of me," Jyil growled.

Razer laughed, increasing the pressure on her arm. She winced.

"Hold on a moment. I have every right to kill you here, right now- but…I just might have a proposition for you."

Jyil swallowed hard, feeling the knife cut slightly at her skin. She raised her eyebrows, managing a short, humorless laugh.

"I'm listening."

Razer smirked. "To tell you the truth, you _are_ a very good racer. I know for certain you're going to race for Princess Krew's team- that gives you the perfect opportunity to win the champion ship and make her top crime lord of this city."

Jyil laughed. "You're quite the optimist."

Razer dug his knee into her leg and she cried out in pain. He pressed the knife closer to her throat and went on.

"I'm offering you the chance to race for me instead; your talent would not go to waste, and you'd be earning more money than she would ever give you. I place bets on you to win and we beat Rayn at her own game. The franchise and the city will finally be mine, and you'll get keep your money and never have to deal with us again."

"I suppose this means I can't kill you," Jyil sneered.

"Right you are," Razer smiled, "Use your money for whatever the hell you want- that's your business. All I ask in return is for you to race on my team, and that means cutting all ties with Krew."

Jyil squirmed uncomfortably, wincing at the jabs of pain in her arms. Her shoes scraped uselessly against the ground as she twisted beneath him. She stared back up into his deep emerald eyes, knowing there was more to what he said than he was letting on. There had to be- no one in Kras City told the truth; experience had only taught her well. One of the top crime bosses in the city was no exception.

"Rayn doesn't cut corners," Jyil said, squeezing her eyes shut from another wave of pain, "If I don't come back to her, she'll know exactly what happened. And even if I do end up working for you by some _ungodly_ chance, I'd be the most wanted person in Kras."

"You'd be surprised at how much one can do in that situation," Razer said with a smirk.

Jyil sucked in a breath through her teeth, trying desperately to rid her arms of the sharp tingling. Her leg throbbed with every movement and jabs of pain traveled up through her body once again. She opened her eyes and looked up at the former racer, remembering what Rayn had promised her.

_If you kill him, that's a lot of money, dear. Enough to put your darling nephews and your unborn niece through college. I'd love to be the hero to those little ones. _

Jyil could still see the friendly smile on the woman's face, the way she'd tilted her head slightly after mentioning the only weakness Jyil had. Her light little laugh and the shake of her head.

_It's too good to pass up, isn't it?_

"I can't," Jyil whispered.

"What was that?" Razer demanded.

Jyil shook her head. He leaned in dangerously close and she glared at him. The blade pressed deeper against her neck.

"You're running out of time, Angel," he hissed.

Before she could say anything in reply, her eyes caught a flash of brilliant ruby light that shined out of the darkness over his shoulder. It swept across the ground, headed right for them. Jyil exclaimed in surprise, quickly moving to push Razer aside. Caught off guard by her swift movement, he fell to the right; the knife cut across Jyil's chin and she grimaced as her momentum took her with him. She was practically sitting on top of him, now. Razer clenched his teeth.

"What the hell-?"

A bullet thudded into the ground beside his head. Jyil tried frantically to untangle herself from him.

"Let go of me!"

Razer had finally become aware of the red beam trailing across the ground, swinging back toward them. Jyil suddenly punched him in the stomach and he jerked, curling slightly into a ball. Panting fearfully, Jyil finally freed herself from his grasp and scrambled to avoid the dot that was now whirling around to lock on to her. Razer rolled to his feet, running for the nearest shipping crate, grasping his fallen pistol as he ran. Jyil scooped up her shotgun and fell behind cover opposite him, just ahead of two more shots. Razer had leveled his pistol at her, still holding the knife against the grip. She froze.

"So you brought back-up. The surprises keep coming."

"I never do," Jyil snapped, "Someone's either trying to steal my kill or get the both of us!"

Razer looked as if he didn't believe her. The ruby light flickered around in front of them; Jyil moved to lift the shotgun, but he tensed, leaning forward slightly.

"The only thing preventing me from killing you right now is the fact someone is waiting to do the same to me," she told him, "And I have yet to accept that offer of yours."

Razer stared at her, turning her words over in his mind. His grip remained tight on the pistol, however. He watched a small pearl of blood appear on her chin, running down her neck. She arched an eyebrow at him. He smirked.

"It's been a fun night, darling," he told her, "Unfortunately, I must be going."

Jyil's expression quickly fell into a scowl as she watched him begin to backpedal away, still holding out the pistol to keep her in place. The laser sight spun from side to side between their hiding places, waiting for one of them to show themselves. Razer had almost backed fully into the shadows, leaving Jyil rooted to the spot, knowing he was capable of shooting her from any distance.

"I'm dying to know what kind of racer you have," he called, "I'm sure it runs beautifully."

He held up his hand, and on the end of his finger swung her car keys. They glinted briefly in the moonlight, and her mouth hung open stupidly in shock. Jyil glowered at him. Once he knew he was out of range of the shotgun, he lowered the pistol and fixed her with a broad smile before turning to head back the way he'd came.

_Problem solved_.


	3. III

**Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading this far, and I'd like to personally thank all of my reviewers here. You guys are the best. Thanks sooooo very much to RenjiLuvah for all her lovely comments and her help! I'm in debted to you! :D And, Razer, Rayn and one other character (I don't want to give it away!) belong to Naughty Dog... Jyil and Bowie are mine. :) Happy reading! ~Hilts.**

"Take a seat, Jyil. You should know the routine by now."

Rayn fixed her with a warm smile, folding her arms as she leaned over her polished desk. Jyil eased into one of the chairs opposite her, unconsciously twirling a strand of hair around her finger. Rayn watched her for a moment, still smiling.

"How is your sister?"

"Great," Jyil answered, "She's healthy; the baby's healthy- due date is some time this winter."

"Oh, how lovely! Just in time for those rare snow showers. I do love that time of year," Rayn replied with a wistful sigh.

Jyil smiled and nodded. "Yes, we're all excited."

"Good to hear. Well…let's get down to it, then."

Rayn reached into a nearby drawer, golden earrings quivering as she moved. Jyil held out her hands for the usual folder stuffed with the next target's information. She was surprised at the weight in her palms, deciding it must have been someone important.

"I'm afraid this one isn't like all the rest," Rayn said, her tone somewhat apologetic, "It should prove…difficult, to say the least."

Jyil opened the folder and her eyes widened at the pictures inside.

"-Razer?" she choked, "I have to…you mean…"

"It's high time someone got the jump on that smarmy bastard, if you'll excuse my language," the crime lord huffed, now fishing for an emery board in the drawer.

Jyil grimaced, tearing her gaze from the glossy photos inside. "I…you're sure about this?"

"Oh yes, I'm sure." Rayn ceased her filing to give the other woman an odd look. She frowned in concern. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about him."

Jyil avoided her eyes, letting out what she hoped was a normal laugh. She shouldn't have thought any different, but some kind of emotion was gnawing at her conscience. Her eyes traced the pictures once again, taken at various moments in the ex-racer's life. The oldest one she found was an image taken of him as a sixteen-year-old, standing with another boy in front of a stadium; even then he looked like a champion.

She knew Razer was a criminal, a blood-thirsty one at that. And yet…

"I'm just a little surprised," Jyil admitted, "He is the best, after all…"

Rayn snorted, back to filing her nails diligently. She blew some dust lightly from her fingers and Jyil wrinkled her nose disapprovingly.

"Was, dear. That's the key word: _was_ the best," she told her, pointing the stick in her direction.

Jyil bit her lip. "Right. Silly me."

She rose to her feet, holding the thick folder limply in her arms. Rayn watched her, smiling that friendly smile once again.

"Happy hunting," she grinned.

Jyil raised her eyebrows. There was nothing happy about it.

*******

Bullets had riddled the end of her jacket with holes and she cursed at the burning pain in her leg, leaning her head back against the latest shipping crate she'd thrown herself behind. Her eyes settled on the somewhat lopsided buildings of the working class sector ahead as she shrugged the coat from her shoulders, hooking her fingers through one of the holes. She tore a strand of material from the jacket and wrapped it around her leg, tightening it over the wound to stop the bleeding. Jyil cried out in pain, her breathing ragged.

She should have killed the bastard- to hell with fact he'd been one of her heroes. Nothing like that had ever come up with one of the other idiots or pigs she'd had to rid the world of; why now? She should have learned by then to keep the personal shit out of things like this.

But it was _Razer_, the greatest combat racer Kras had ever seen. He deserved better than this…

Jyil clenched her teeth at the pain and felt tears sting her eyes, groping for her shotgun once again. Now, however, she was getting close to throwing that thought right out the window after what he'd done to her. Maybe she could have lived with the knife in the thigh, but he'd taken her keys- He was going to die for certain tonight.

A cold wind cooled some of the sweat on her body and she was thankful for it. Her hair snagged on the back-up weapon still strapped across her shoulder blades and she pulled the strands back into place hurriedly, moving to scramble to her feet. She'd seen no muzzle flash and whoever was aiming for her had let Razer go; the fact that Rayn could have ordered her death scared the living hell out of her.

Jyil blew out a calming breath, continuing onward, her thoughts struggling to come up with a way to give herself some cover as she made break for the sector ahead. Her leg was bothering her too much to make a full sprint, and any hesitation she had would make her an easy target. She puffed a lock of hair from her face and quickly studied her surroundings, the ruby light still quivering around behind.

"Aha!"

She became aware of the long cord dangling just above her, a rectangular device on the end, clacking slightly against the crate in the breeze. Her fingers gripped it tight, and she followed the cord to where it connected to one of the machines sitting like monoliths throughout the Marina. A large navy blue shipping crate hung above from one of the cranes. Jyil smiled.

She readied herself to run, sucking in a gulp of air before pressing the green button hard with her thumb. The crane groaned; the box fell with a great rush of air before clanging to the ground with a resounding crash. Jyil winced from the sound but ran forward, limping only slightly as she ran along her cover in a crouch, managing to make it safely into the sector ahead without another glimpse of the ruby light. She straightened up and continued on at a brisk pace.

"Now to find that bastard…."

***

The vehicle was a Javelin X- a very expensive one, at that. He circled around to the back end, fingers pressed against his chin as he examined every detail critically. The metal was cool beneath his fingers as he leaned in to inspect the turbo engine, nodding in approval. It certainly had the potential to be one of the fastest out there, aside from his Havoc V12. There didn't appear to be any 'add-ons' either, things that were illegally equipped to give the car a head start against the other racers. The girl was winning on pure determination and speed; he had to give her some sort of respect for that.

Razer twirled the car keys once again around his finger as he watched his distorted reflection swipe across the side panels of the car, moving to slide behind the wheel. At once he felt cramped, his knees too close to the underside of the dash. Muttering 'woman's car' under his breath, he quickly adjusted the seat, clicking it back into place nearly as far as it would go. Once settled, he swept his gaze across the dashboard in front of him, studying the now blank gauges and screens. For the first time in awhile, he realized just how much he actually missed being on the track. His fingers tightened instinctively around the wheel and he stared ahead at the empty stretch of road, trying to remember what it all felt like. With a small sigh, he moved to turn the keys in the ignition but paused, something having caught his attention. A small laugh came to him as he reached up to flick the pair of pink fuzzy dice hanging above from part of the roll cage.

"I might've known…"

He went to turn the keys again, but a sudden gunshot startled him. It took him a moment to realize that the blast had been directed to the sky.

"Don't you dare!" shrieked a now-recognizable voice, "Get your ass out of my car right _now_!"

Razer laughed, leaning out through the window, resting his arm on the door panel as he did so. Jyil stalked into view, pumping yet another round into her shotgun, a brilliant red eco chip popping from the chamber and falling to the ground as she walked. Her breathing was hurried, her chest heaving, eyes wild with fury and adrenaline. Razer almost laughed at the sight of her flyaway hair and smeared mascara; she seemed like something out of a horror movie.

"We should really stop trying to kill each other - Just look at what it's done to you."

"GET OUT!!"

Razer bit his lower lip, raising his eyebrows. The Javelin shuddered to life and Jyil gasped softly, marching right up to him. He was soon staring down the barrel of the shotgun, able to smell the sharp odor of gunpowder.

"Last chance," she whispered, harshly.

Razer dared to smile at her. "If you really wanted to kill me, you would have done so at the bar."

Jyil's fingers tensed threateningly around the trigger as she scowled at his smug expression. She opened her mouth to say something, only to be cut off by a sudden explosion. Glass shattered, spiraling down to the street. Jyil and Razer jumped, eyes widening as they watched the plume of yellow-orange float to the sky, able to feel the heat of the flames.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Jyil screeched.

A second combat racer was coming toward them, having just fired a long-range missile into the building off to their right. Jyil whirled to face Razer, hoisting herself on top of the Javelin, nearly crushing his arm as she climbed. She fell through the roll cage and into his lap. He cursed, trying to push her away. Tires screeched to their left, signaling the opposing vehicle was advancing.

"Are you insane, woman?!" Razer bellowed.

"Just drive!" she screamed.

The staccato chattering of machine guns was all the incentive he needed. The Javelin lurched forward, throwing both of them back in the seat. Jyil's elbow dug into Razer's chest and he growled, shoving her out of his way. Her head bumped hard against something and she rubbed the spot roughly, glaring at him. She scrambled off to the right in order for him to see clearer, though strands of her hair continued to whip at his face.

"Fine idea," he snapped, "We're being chased by a combat racer and you're sitting in my lap. I can already see the headlines."

"You're the one who stole my car," Jyil countered. She slung her legs horizontally across him, bracing herself against the right side door.

"None of this would have happened if you had killed me in the first place!"

The shotgun cracked against his head as she moved to look behind them for the enemy vehicle and he grimaced at the sharp pain.

"I still can if you really want me to," she returned, a wry smile curving her lips.

Razer rolled his eyes and yanked the stick back to throw the car into a higher gear, his foot heavy on the gas pedal. Jyil gripped the back of the seat as hard as she could, trying not to stomp all over him as she heaved herself upright to catch a glimpse of who was following them. Her eyes widened at the all-too-familiar red and white paint job.

"It's UR-86!" she howled.

"What?!"

Another missile arched over their heads; Razer swerved to avoid it, and Jyil went flying, nearly falling out of the car. Her shotgun fell from her hand and over the door on to the street. She shrieked after it, growling once she realized she wouldn't get it back. Jyil was half-expecting some snide remark from Razer, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"You said 86 was following us?!" he shouted.

Jyil nodded, the wind blowing her thick hair around her, hiding her face. Razer shook his head, the muscles tightening in his arms as he gripped the steering wheel fiercely. He gnashed his teeth.

"How can that be possible?!"

Jyil ignored his anger and leaned forward, clicking a few switches on the dashboard. Turrets snapped out from the back end of the car with a mechanical whir; she punched a final button and the car pitched ahead slightly after several missiles launched. Explosions sounded behind them. Jyil leaned out the window to watch them strike, chewing on her lip in anticipation.

"You have rear-firing missiles?" Razer asked.

Jyil looked back at him with a smirk. "Yup."

She leaned back out the window, watching as the missiles wavered on their course and struck the ground, just missing the enemy car by inches. Jyil muttered a swear; Razer joined her for a quick look of his own as they continued to speed back through the waterfront to head downtown. His eyes widened only slightly as he came to the realization that it truly was UR-86 on their tail. He quickly turned back to face the road, only to meet frustration; Jyil's hair was in his sight once again and he shoved her head out of his way. She yelped, moving to sit beside him on the sliver of free seat, but not before her heel dug into his leg. Razer gritted his teeth and glared at her.

"Give me your gun," she told him.

"No one has killed 86 with a normal weapon, so why not let you have you try?" Razer replied, sarcasm dripping from his words.

Jyil sneered at him as he dropped the pistol into her waiting palm.

"Shut up and keep driving."

At her words, machine gun fire rattled against the back end of the Javelin. Jyil felt a lash of anger at the fact it was her car getting destroyed and moved to stand, firmly planting both of her feet on either side of the seat. She cocked the pistol as she went, squinting from the sudden blast of air. Razer clearly wasn't expecting her to do such a thing, trying his best to focus on the road in spite of the fact his eyes were level with both of her knees.

Jyil leaned over the back of the car, the wind stinging at her face. She leveled the pistol and fired several shots at the approaching car, feeling chills travel down her spine as the robot fixed its lifeless gaze on her. A few bullets punched through the hood of 86's car, causing thin coils of smoke to float into the air. Jyil gripped the pistol tighter and fired again.

The car suddenly swerved and she was thrown sideways, nearly losing her balance. Razer cried out, prompting Jyil to look back down at him. He was massaging his jaw where her knee had jerked into it, glaring up at her yet again.

"Sorry," she laughed.

He shook his head, pressing his foot down harder on the gas. Jyil watched as the turbo engine on 86's car flared a brilliant blue, propelling him forward to match their speed. The pistol cracked several times; slugs thudded into the side panels and sparks flashed like miniature strobe lights before the combat racer pulled up beside them. The robot's yellow-orange eyes glowed ominously as it turned to face them. Jyil could feel the dread weighing down her shoulders.

"Razer!"

He was already very much aware of the danger they now faced. The Javelin put on a burst of speed; Jyil shrieked, falling back through the roof into his lap once more. Razer grimaced and shoved her away, cramming her back on to the tiny free space of seat. he didn't care if she went flying out of the car; all that mattered then was getting the hell away from 86.

He stomped on the clutch and pulled up the handbrake, wrenching the wheel hard to the right. Jyil seized his arm to keep from flying out of the seat; her grip was tight as the Javelin's tires screamed. Colors and lights blurred into one as they spun, kicking up a thick cloud of smoke as they went. The car finally came to a brief stop before Razer gunned the engine once again and they tore up the street back the way they'd come.

Jyil was still squeezed by his side, her arms finally beginning to loosen around him. Her eyes searched wildly behind them as she heaved herself to a less cramped position. With fingers trembling, she gripped the pistol in her hand once again, panting from the adrenaline.

"He's still back there," Razer said, "But at least now I can see where the hell I'm going."

Jyil scowled. "Excuse me for trying to stop the damn thing from killing both of us!"

"Please. You didn't do much."

"Yes, I did! You know what-" Jyil thrashed around, but Razer kept her where she was with is arm.

"Dammit, let GO!"

"I'd rather not have you block the view again."

"Are you implying what I think you are?!"

Razer almost laughed. "No; for God's sake-"

An explosion rocked the back end of the car and they were both thrown forward. Jyil wrenched herself free from Razer's grasp and strained for the dashboard again to punch a few more buttons.

"Wreck my car will, ya?" she hissed, "I'll give you somethin' cry about."

With a strange popping sound, several mines fell to the concrete behind them, each marked with a 'hazard' symbol. Jyil continued to work at the dashboard until Razer grew irritated with trying to see over her head and attempted to push her away. After she resisted, he threw an elbow into her side and she screeched, her legs flying over the side of the car. His vision was now clear. She let out string of swears as they turned around another corner, rolling to the other side of the car. Behind them, a few of the mines exploded, leaving small clouds of purple-tinged smoke in their wake. Jyil heaved herself upright, feeling Razer's knee digging uncomfortably into the back of her leg.

"I think that slowed him down," she said, trying to see out the window.

She suddenly felt Razer's hand grip her knee and she nearly leapt right out of the car at his touch.

"Just what the hell do you think you're-?!"

"I need to shift! Move!"

Jyil gritted her teeth and jumped to sit on his left leg, allowing him to grasp the stick and pull it back. Her cheeks reddened at his knowing smile. They continued driving for awhile, Jyil still squirming uncomfortably in Razer's lap. She could still see UR-86 behind them, his car belching smoke, tires peeling. Jyil shook her head in disbelief.

"I thought for sure the mines would get him- they were dark eco infused!"

"The damn robot is practically death-proof," Razer said grimly, "You'd have to get in close."

"I'd rather not…"

The Javelin was smoking slightly at the back, and it pained her to see it in this condition. They were still traveling at a fairly fast speed; obviously Razer didn't want to take any chances. 86 seemed to be gaining on them once again, and Jyil felt the sting of desperate tears. Her ears pricked up at the sound of a familiar engine and the color drained from her face.

A second combat racer had appeared in front of them, painted a striking lime green. I was barreling toward them, engine screaming; a large missile turret stood at the ready, along with twin .30 caliber machine guns. Razer felt Jyil's fingers dig into his arm.

"That's Bowie," she cried, "He's the second best on our team! Oh my god-she knows!"

Razer revved the engine before shifting to the highest gear. He narrowed his eyes in determination, scanning their surroundings. 86 was behind them, and Rayn's thug was in front; between them was a mere viaduct. Jyil was nearing hysterics.

"She _knows_! She knows what I did! Rayn is trying to kill _me_!!" she shrieked, "Oh, I'm going to die sitting in your_ lap_!!"

Razer raised his eyebrows, tilting his head slightly.

"There are worst places to be, aren't there?"

The Javelin was practically flying, now. The lime green vehicle was almost upon them. Razer's fingers tightened around the steering wheel and he clenched his jaw. The Javelin bounced over a small bump on to the viaduct.

"What are you doing?!"

"Brace yourself."

Razer pulled the car into a tight swerve, tires chirping horribly, leaving great skid marks across the steel. Jyil watched in terror as he pulled back the turbo release and they went rocketing toward the small guardrail. She bellowed,

"You stupid sonofabiiiiiiitch!!!"

The Javelin soared cleanly over the guardrail and into the empty air. Jyil let out a high-pitched scream as they went; Razer pressed his boot to the floor. The engine roared in the strange silence and they fell with a great splash into the river below.


	4. IV

**Author's note: What a ton to write, ha ha. I'd love to know what everyone thinks of this chapter, seeing as how it's currently my favorite. :D Hope you enjoy! And…it's such a pain in the butt trying to be descriptive. ;)**

An eerie calm had settled under the water. A rush of bubbles led up to the surface, where the moon glowed brilliantly above, distorted by the waves. Razer struggled to free himself from the seat of the Javelin, watching in silence as Jyil clawed for the surface ahead of him. A dark streak of fuel floated around them in the water, flashing strange colors in the light. With a grimace, Razer pulled his leg from its place wedged between the seat and the side panel, pushing off the roll cage with his feet to launch himself toward the surface. His head broke free from the water and he gasped air back into his lungs, coughing slightly. He could hear Jyil sputtering somewhere off to his left, splashing rapidly. The water was strong against them and was pushing them further downstream, away from the viaduct and car wreckage. Razer allowed himself to be swept away, eyes hunting for a stretch of land he could climb on to. Jyil was still coughing as she came up to him, panting in short, shrill breaths. She latched on to his arm and he scowled.

"Can't you swim?" he grunted.

"Not very well," she retorted, turning to watch as large bubbles formed on the surface behind them.

Razer was still looking for a small ledge, feeling the river take them along. He spat the gritty water from his mouth, tearing Jyil's arm from his. She hardly seemed to notice, even when she bobbed beneath the waves for a brief moment before forcing herself upright again.

"You ruined my car! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get it? How much of my blood, sweat and tears I put into it?!"

Razer finally spotted a thin trail of land up ahead and smirked, shaking his head.

"Judging from your hysterics, I'd say quite a lot," he replied.

He pitched forward back into the water and began swimming for the shore up ahead. Jyil followed, splashing ridiculously as she went. Razer pulled himself back on to land, his boots making deep footprints in the mud. Jyil stumbled up behind him, panting. Before she could say anything he'd grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him, all mischievousness gone from his expression.

"Chances are, the robot and that colleague of yours are still following us," he told her through gritted teeth, "So, if you want to keep your life for the time-being, I suggest you tell me whose side you're on."

His grip tightened threateningly and Jyil scowled, trying to tug from his grasp. Razer pulled her closer and small needles of pain shot up her arm. It felt like he was squeezing the bones together in her wrist.

"I need an answer," he said.

Jyil winced, flinching as droplets of water fell from his bangs on to her cheek. His other arm tensed and she was sure he was reaching for one of those deadly butterfly knives.

"If Rayn sent them," Jyil finally said, "it looks like I'm stuck with you."

He stared at her for a moment before letting her go. She wrapped her other hand around her wrist and massaged the pain away, glaring at him as he walked on. The wind felt impossibly cold coming off the river as they traveled along the thin shoreline. Jyil rubbed her arms in attempt to giver herself some warmth, long strands of hair sticking to her skin. Her clothes were dripping and clung tightly to her; she had to fight to keep her teeth from chattering. She was so caught up in watching her surroundings that she failed to notice Razer had stopped ahead, and nearly slammed into him.

"What now?" she asked irritably, irked at the fact they were standing still, leaving her to freeze.

Jyil tucked her arms close to her body and moved to stand beside him, realizing she only came up to his shoulder. She sniffed, wiping the beads of water from her cheeks as they gazed at the area they had come upon. The moonlight bathed the small valley-like region in an eerie glow, revealing the tall mounds of dirt that lay scattered before them. Digging machinery leaned heavily to the side, inactive until needed.

"We must be closet to the Dirt Stadium," Jyil remarked, back to rubbing her arms.

Razer narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "You're right. If we follow the path it should lead us to it. Perhaps then we could find a place to rest, and sort out our agreement."

He cast Jyil a sideways glance before continuing forward, wiping his forehead roughly with the back of his hand. She hesitated a moment, but followed, finding it difficult not to stare at him. _I'm cutting a deal with the man I was supposed to kill an hour ago- I've had better days_. Jyil sighed, unable to stop the images in the folder from coming to mind; getting a glimpse into his life had proven interesting. For some reason, they had all stayed with her: him as a teen, with his friends and his first combat racer; with a woman at the race track, who had been identified as a relative; his first year as 'grand champion' at seventeen- the youngest to win in Kras City history.

Razer had retained his youthful appearance for the most part, from his thick dark hair to the black tattoos that snaked up the length of his upper arms. Jyil could tell the experience was all in his eyes, however.

"So tell me- did Krew have any reason to send you after me _now_, as opposed to sooner?"

His voice broke her from her thoughts and she blinked. He looked back at her over his shoulder expectantly.

"She didn't say," Jyil replied.

They had weaved through several of the dirt piles by then, crunching pebbles beneath their feet. Razer smirked, his eyes trained on the dark outline of the stadium in the distance.

"I find it interesting that she sent you, of all people, to do the job."

Jyil scowled. "Really? And what the hell makes you think you know anything about me to make that remark?"

Razer stopped walking and turned to face her, a smug smile tugging at his lips. Jyil crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows.

"You're full name is Jyillian, you're 28-years-old and the youngest of three girls. Your father used to be a mechanic for Blitz's father and you've wanted to race since the age of twelve. Most recently, you've won several pre-season races that make you Rayn's top pick for the season."

She gaped at him, horrified at the fact he could know such personal things. And he said them all as if from memory. Her cheeks flushed and her mouth moved up and down wordlessly. Razer gave her a mocking incredulous look.

"How's that for starters?"

Jyil finally found her voice. "And why do you know all of that?!"

"I watch too much television," Razer grinned.

He winked at her. Jyil felt a tremor of anger go through her and once again she wrestled with the idea of killing him right there and ending it all. But she couldn't, of course; people were after her -her own people- and Razer was keeping her alive for the moment.

_How ironic_.

They trudged up a dune of soft, crumbling dirt and she stumbled slightly, but kept her footing. Razer looked over at her just in case.

"I hated talking to those stupid reporters," Jyil muttered as she climbed.

"Don't we all?" Razer sighed.

Jyil shot him a look as they came to the top of the hill. A cold blast of air caused her to instantly forget her anger at him and she wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. She frowned as the wind snapped her hair out behind her.

"What are we-"

"-Sssh!"

Razer grasped her arm and she fell into silence. His hand was surprisingly warm against her skin. Jyil regarded him questioningly, watching his eyes dart back and forth as he listened for something. He finally sprang into action, his grip increasing on her arm as he pulled her the rest of the way down the dune.

"What the hell is-?!"

"We need to hide. It's coming this way."

Several barrels clattered to the ground in the distance and Jyil felt her heart shoot up to her throat, her stomach lurching so terribly it made her feel nauseous. She quickened her pace to match Razer's, throwing glances over her shoulder.

"Call it off," she hissed to him.

"What?"

Jyil stared hopelessly at him. "You control it, don't you? Call it off- tell it not to kill us!"

Several horrifying crashes echoed through the still air, followed by strange mechanical noises. Razer looked over his shoulder this time as they both broke into a run.

"I can't just tell him to _stop_," he said, "86 is fully sentient, meaning he can decide to do whatever the hell he wants."

"I don't believe you," Jyil returned angrily, "And don't call it 'he'! It's a robot- they can't think for themselves!"

Razer pursed his lips and yanked her along as they sprinted deeper into the dirt valley, leading her up to the collection of dormant machinery. Their shadows melted together as they crawled through the gaps between the cluster of scaffoldings leaned against the hillside. Stifling gasps for breath, the two racers fell into silence, crammed close together in their hiding spot. Jyil drew her knees up to her chest and waited, trying to calm her breathing. Razer gazed up through the grating above, splotches of light falling across his face. He frowned as Jyil struggled to remove something strapped to her back and her wet curtain of hair slapped against his arm. Razer reached over to grip her shoulder and she stopped flailing to look at him.

"Please," he whispered, "stop moving."

"But I need to get-"

His grip tightened and he leaned forward, staring into her eyes. She shrank back slightly.

"Don't."

Jyil could barely hear him, but nodded wordlessly. The peculiar robotic voice sounded once again and they both tensed, turning sharply to watch the dark lot through the criss-crossing support beams of their hiding place. Razer caught sight of twin yellow-orange lights glaring out against the darkness and unconsciously pushed himself further back into the dirt mound. He heard a small gasp beside him and Jyil mimicked his movements, her breathing increasing dramatically. The yellow lights bobbed closer threateningly; they could hear the distant stomps of the killer Death Bot as it advanced.

Razer was now aware of how fast his heart was beating; it threatened to leap out of his chest as the lights from the distant stadium illuminated the blood-red armor that covered the robot. His mind suddenly swirled with frenzied thoughts, both desperately and at random. He fought to control his breathing, firmly clamping his mouth shut. Jyil whimpered slightly beside him as UR-86 turned his head rapidly to hunt for them. She pressed her hands over her mouth to stifle any noise and trembled slightly.

"Sssh," Razer whispered, "We're alright."

The garbled robotic voice sounded strangely confused as 86 continued the search for them, stomping closer to the scaffoldings and abandoned digging machinery. Several things clicked and whirred as the former Krimzon Guard Death Bot spun its head sideways, scanning the surroundings and sputtering computerized nonsense as it went.

Razer and Jyil watched with bated breath as 86 stalked off to their left, heading up one of the dirt banks and was soon gone from sight. Jyil slowly let out a breath, leaning her head back. Razer sighed, pursing his lips. They stiffened once again as 86 sounded in the distance. There came an impossibly loud crash soon after; Jyil jumped and Razer winced after feeling her fingers fiercely squeeze his hand. A large collection of rusty barrels suddenly rolled down the hillside, thudding into one another and rattling as they tumbled over the uneven ground. One of them banged against the scaffolding, causing it to shimmy rapidly. The beams creaked threateningly and the shadows danced; a thin trail of dirt pattered on to Razer's shoulder. Jyil pressed her palm over her mouth once again, squeezing her eyes shut briefly.

There were no further sounds and the valley fell into a foreboding silence. Neither of them dared to move. After nearly a half hour in the unbearably tense stillness, Jyil leaned over to speak.

"Do you think it's gone?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper.

Razer's eyes swiveled to look over at her, the moonlight still slanting through the grating above.

"I don't know."

Jyil bit her lip and leaned against the dirt once again, her fingers clenched into tight fists. Razer swept his gaze across the seemingly vacant lot, tapping his knuckles thoughtfully on his knee. He leaned forward, falling into a crouch, feeling the dirt clinging to the backs of his arms.

Had he not moved, the scarlet armor-plated arm would have smashed through the grating and crushed his skull. Crying out, he fell on his side as the metal twisted and screeched over him. Jyil shrieked, scrambling to stand, trying to free herself from the tangle of bars. Razer scuttled back on his hands and feet, boots carving deep grooves in the dirt. The robot seemed to realize where they were going and wrenched itself from the ruined walkway, stomping after them. 86 jumped and fell from the ledge back to their level, a large cloud of dust billowing up into the sky. Lifeless eyes fixed on them and the thick black neck cords contracted, pulling the large head closer to his shoulders as the robot assassin readied for attack.

Jyil ran back through the criss-crossed bars, colliding with Razer. He swore as she hit him, watching in horror as 86 lunged for them. His eyes widened and he jumped, wrapping his fingers around one of the support beams beneath the tower. A deadly clawed hand snapped air beneath him, narrowly missing one of his legs. Jyil had imitated his actions and continued climbing up the ruined scaffolding, wriggling her way through the hole 86 had previously made. Razer climbed frantically, feeling his muscles burn from the effort.

The robot gurgled a string of incoherent computerized voices and clamped the tower in its powerful grip, yanking the beams loose with ease. The scaffolding groaned with a metallic whine and Razer braced himself as the ground came rushing to meet him. He let go of the bars and fell, rolling free of the tower. It crashed behind him with a strange twang. Jyil suddenly screamed and Razer turned sharply to follow the sound.

86 had gotten to her first, dragging her through the dirt by her ankle. She shrieked again, digging her fingers into the ground to try and stop herself, grimacing as every rock available jabbed at her stomach and chest. Before Razer could get to his feet, 86 was already upon him. He turned just enough to avoid getting grabbed by his hair or ear, but the deathly cold mechanical claw closed tightly around his bicep and yanked him from the ground. The world tilted briefly and Razer growled at the tight pressure on his arm. He could hear Jyil struggling to free her ankle as the robot turned to begin walking with them caught in each fist. Razer twisted in its grasp, his heels dragging along the ground, but 86 simply lifted him into the air and his legs kicked uselessly as they went. He shouted at the pain, feeling each claw digging into muscle. 86 appeared to hang on to them effortlessly, even with Jyil thrashing around as much as she was. Screaming, she tried to wrench herself free one again, cursing the Precursors hysterically as she flailed. The Death Bot lifted her from the ground so fast she nearly suffered whiplash.

In her upside down vision, her eyes locked with Razer's and he gazed at her grimly. Jyil clenched her teeth and writhed furiously, her free leg kicking the air rapidly. Her fingers strained to reach for the weapon still strapped to her back. Razer understood what she was doing and struggled violently as well in attempt to catch the robot's attention. His arm was beginning to go numb and jolts of pain struck him with every movement.

"Double-crossing heap of scrap metal," Razer spat, "I should have known better!"

UR-86 slanted his glowing eyes and turned his head to look at the ex-racer. Jyil still thrashed violently about, trying desperately to reach the stock of her weapon. The blood had rushed to her head and she felt dizzy.

"Of course Rayn would use you," Razer hissed, "We always turn to you as a last resort."

86 growled threateningly. Several gears, springs and locks clicked rapidly before the arm twisted and slammed Razer against a dune of dirt, clamping a three-pronged claw against his neck. He coughed, hands prying at the cold steel.

Jyil gasped and sobbed slightly, her leg now tingling with pain. She cried out, stretching one final time behind her shoulder to reach for the gun. Her fingers finally curled around the stock and she wrenched it free from the holster on her back, struggling to adjust to the weight. She grasped it fiercely in both hands, swinging back and forth in the grip of UR-86. Razer coughed again, only mere seconds' worth of air left in his lungs. His boots sliced long tracks in the soil as a last attempt at freeing himself. 86 made a noise that sounded terrifyingly like laughter.

Jyil sucked in a breath, cocking the gun, bracing it tight against her shoulder. She summoned every ounce of strength left in her body and pulled herself upright, screaming from the action. She latched her arm round the robot's shoulder and jammed the wide barrel of the gun as far as it would go into the exposed space between the head and shoulders. Jyil turned away and pulled the trigger.

The weapon boomed, a small concussion wave flaring dark red as it went. A hole was blown straight through the back of the Death Bot; sparks burst into sight and one of the thick black neck cords snapped, causing its head to loll to the side. Jyil fell from its grasp, as did Razer, who painfully gasped air back into his lungs, coughing violently. 86's voice came out in a flourish of distorted, high-pitched sounds that made Jyil's hair stand on end. She struggled to her feet to watch as the robot assassin staggered forward, doing its best to try and attack them once more.

Jyil titled her head, smirking slightly.

She raised her weapon and fired again, the force sending her back a few steps. A large wave of scarlet slammed into 86, causing the one of the eyes to flicker and fade away. With a strange groan, the robot fell to the ground with a thud, still struggling to right itself. Jyil ran up to it, planting her foot on its head, reaching to pull out the sensitive wires now poking out from the damaged interior. Razer shook his head.

"Get away from there!" he rasped.

But Jyil wouldn't have it. She grabbed a fistful of wires and shrieked, yanking them out of place. The heavy metal limbs twitched and shuddered; she tugged harder, causing sparks to fly as the circuits fizzled and more wires were torn from their sockets. UR-86 gave one final cry of protest before slumping to the mud in a heap, twitching in the last moments of "life."

Razer walked cautiously up beside Jyil, massaging the fresh bruises on his neck. She still held a tangle of wires in her hand and threw them down in disgust, her breath coming in ragged intervals, shoulders rising and falling rapidly. Together, they stared down at the destroyed Death Bot in a shared moment of awed silence. Razer was the first to break it.

"What the hell is that?" he croaked.

Jyil tore her gaze from 86 to glance at the weapon still clenched in her hand. Her face broke into a smile, a bright white shining out against the grime.

"It's called a Blunderbuss," she said, "Feel the weight."

She dropped it into his palms and knelt down to continue jerking wires and chunks of material out of the robot, moving to sever the other neck cable. Razer turned over the gun in his hands, amazed at the design. It was a jet black in color and looked more like a pistol, though he had to hold it in both palms. A large eco chip glowed brightly from the handgrip, slightly illuminating his face.

"I've never seen something like this," he mused, "The rounds have to be the same strength as that of a shotgun…"

"Ever cut a deal with Eco pirates?" Jyil asked as she worked, sweat dripping from her chin.

"…Can't say that I have."

She laughed, turning to look up at him through flyaway hair.

"I guess you've never wanted to race as much as I do."

*******

It was nearly a quarter to midnight when Rayn was interrupted from her paperwork by Bowie, who practically came crashing through her lavishly decorated hallways to report the details of his mission. She looked up at him curiously, noticing his haggard appearance, complete with his dark hair in disarray and smudges of dirt on his clothes. Rayn arched an eyebrow.

"I take it she didn't go down too easily."

The stocky, muscle-bound man paused to catch his breath, one hand on his chest. Rayn sighed, rolling her eyes. She put aside the papers and leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. Giving her henchman a moment to recuperate, she searched in the drawer for Jyil's file, prepared to stamp the lovely bright red letters of 'Deceased' over the pictures and documents. Razer's was had yet to return, and it was one of the things Bowie was to give her. Rayn let out another sigh as she flipped through the old pictures of her latest assassin with family and friends. She shook her head.

"_Tsk_, it's quite a shame. I rather liked Jyil- she was smart, capable, funny; an all 'round sweetheart. And what a great racer, I may add…I was actually hoping we would be friends much longer than this."

She looked up at Bowie and frowned, aware that he was still gulping air. He held up his hand, as if he was almost ready to speak.

"For God's sake," Rayn exclaimed, "Are you alright or should I call in a doctor?"

"No…no, I'm alright…"

"They both must have really given you a run for your money. I would've sent more people had I known-"

Bowie emptied a small drawstring bag on to her desk and the contents clattered on to the polished surface. Rayn's eyes widened and she gasped sharply. Her heels clacked against the floor as she jumped to her feet.

"Just what the hell is the meaning of this?!" she demanded.

Rayn stared down in disbelief, pointing her finger angrily. The head of UR-86 was now a temporary paper weight on her desk.

"If this is some kind of sick joke-!"

"It's not," Bowie interrupted, "I went to go meet up with 86 to see if he'd finished the job, and…that was all I could bring back."

"You were supposed to go _with_ him! To make sure things like that don't happen!"

Rayn jabbed the air frantically over the robot's disembodied head, her voice shrill with incredulity and a hint of fear. Bowie squirmed under her intense gaze.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Krew, but…I figured a KG Death Bot didn't need any backup."

Rayn groaned, throwing up her hands. She fell heavily back into her chair and shook her head, massaging her temples with her fingers. Bowie watched on, nervously wringing his hands.

"This was supposed to be a 'two birds with one stone' deal," Rayn snapped, "And now I'm back where I started, and that smarmy blighter has yet another ally!!"

She groaned again, balling up her fists and slamming them on the armrest of her chair. After staring at her feet for a moment, she straightened back up, visibly calming herself. With closed eyes she said,

"Alright. So it's happened." Her eyes snapped back open and she glared at Bowie, who flinched. "But next time I ask you to do something, it will be done! If anything like this happens again, you're _gone_, do you understand?!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Rayn growled, wrinkling her nose at the robot's head lying on her desk.

"Get that thing out of my sight."

Bowie snapped to attention and did as he was told, hastily grabbing what was left of UR-86 and leaving the room. The door slammed behind him and Rayn slouched in her chair. She grasped Jyil's file and hurled it across the room, cursing loudly as the papers fluttered to the carpet like strange leaves.


	5. V

**Author's note: Hello there! Just a head's up: there isn't a whole lot of action in this chapter. Sorry if you're left twiddling your thumbs, but this chapter is necessary for character and the story, so…you'll have to live with the filler, haha. ;D For those of you who want to know more about Jyil, here you go! (And Becks, if you're reading, I'm dying to know what you thought about everything!! Leave a long review for me, Luv. Ha ha XD) Until next time! ~Hilts. **

"I want half."

Razer's laugh was a loud staccato sound that echoed slightly through the empty Dirt Stadium. Moonlight illuminated the mounds of soil churned up by several warring drivers, and glittered dully across the piles of scrap metal scattered throughout. Jyil scowled as the laughter faded away.

"Do you really think you're in the proper position to ask for _half_ of my profit?"

She crossed her arms. Still frowning at him from her perch on a stack of old tires, she remained silent. Her gaze bored into him and his smile faded away. Razer looked at her critically for a moment, as if thinking. Jyil rolled her eyes to express her annoyance and he finally spoke.

"You did dispose of 86…but that hardly accounts for something as steep as your request."

Jyil snorted. She shook her head, moving to place the Blunderbuss weapon across her lap, tapping her hands nonchalantly across the barrel. Razer noticed this and pursed his lips.

"Please, reconsider," said Jyil.

He smirked at her, ignoring the warning stare he received. The thin banners hanging above them scratched against the walkway in the silence that followed. Dim blue light from the overpass made their skin look pale and cast angular shadows across their faces. Razer could see the exhaustion in Jyil's eyes, but knew he couldn't rule out the fact she wouldn't be able kill him.

"If you plan to pull the trigger, go ahead and try it. In the end, you and I are not so different."

"That's not true," Jyil snapped.

Razer arched an eyebrow. "Really? Correct me if I'm wrong, but a few hours ago, were you not trying to kill me for a substantial bounty?"

She fell silent once again, avoiding his eyes. He noticed she actually looked vulnerable, sitting there with her legs kicking against the old tires like a child. Razer walked closer, his boots cracking across the brittle scraps of car parts that littered the stadium. Jyil grimaced for one reason or another, no doubt from the fresh bruises on her ankle or the wound on her thigh. It looked like she was hiding something; that she refused to say something, but Razer let the moment pass. He buried his hands in his pockets as he spoke.

"I don't give a damn about the hype or the preseason races. It means nothing if you can't handle the real deal." Razer leaned against the line of old tires, looking up at the tattered banners snapping in the breeze.

"If there's one thing I can't stand about this sport, it's rookies who think they know everything."

Jyil straightened up where she sat, the fire returning to her eyes. She glared up at him, her grip tightening instinctively on the weapon lying across her knees.

"I'm no rookie," she warned him, "I've been racing since sixteen and I've been trying to get into the franchise for nearly eight years. I know what the hell I'm doing!"

The ex-racer snorted a laugh. "I'll believe it when I see it."

He pretended not to notice the loathsome look she shot him and continued, leaning off the tires to walk around her in a lazy circle.

"The first race of the season is always important- it will set the tone for the rest of the year. One cannot afford to lose it." He paused, watching as a small cloud of dust floated across the barren stadium.

"As you know, Krew and I are no strangers to betting on this sort of thing; since no one has been impressive thus far, you, Jyil, are just as likely to win as anyone else."

"Does that mean you think I have a chance?" Jyil asked, moodily.

Razer frowned curiously at her. "I said nothing about a good chance. If you want anything from me, you'll have to convince me otherwise. Until then, you get nothing."

He watched as she turned the possibilities over in her mind, her eyes jumping from one thing to another as she processed his words. Jyil suddenly spun to face him, her hair whirling out around her. She fixed him with a threatening stare and he raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"I don't have to prove anything to you. You're the one who has something to lose."

"Really now? Care to explain yourself?"

His mocking tone made her ears burn.

"It's about what I have to offer," she told him, seething.

Razer chuckled. Jyil slid from the stack of tires, palming the Blunderbuss in order to make him respond all the more faster. He took a step back, clearing his throat; an exhausted woman-particularly a woman like this- was not to be toyed with. He growled an annoyed sigh.

"What you could you possibly offer to me?" Razer questioned.

Jyil smiled slightly. "Immunity."

"What?"

"You heard me- lawful immunity, from here, to Haven, to Spargus- you name it."

Razer stared at her a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. He laughed again and Jyil clenched her jaw.

"And how might you do that, my dear? Seeing as how Krew's thrown you to the wolves?"

"I know people who can pull a few strings. That's all it takes," Jyil replied through her teeth, "And the Eco Pirates;" she held up the Blunderbuss for emphasis, "They always keep their end of the deal. You want something from any one of those cities, I can get it for you. That is my offer. Take it or leave it."

Razer narrowed his eyes threateningly, though he seemed to be thinking it over. Jyil leaned back against the tires casually, waiting. He finally spoke, his voice devoid of all sarcastic tones.

"I don't trust you. And of course, you don't trust me. Nevertheless, seeing as how we now face a common threat, I'm willing to propose a compromise."

Jyil sneered at him, walking closer. He could see her fingers tensing along the Blunderbuss as she went.

"Let's hear it."

Razer sighed, clearly almost as tired as she was, though he didn't show it.

"One-fifth. That's the amount of my winnings you shall receive." Before she could protest, he continued. "You will be granted protection in exchange for your end of the deal."

Jyil regarded him cautiously, hating the smirk that stretched across his face. He spread his arms and she breathed a small sigh. They stared at each other for a moment before she spoke.

"Alright. I'm in. But when this is over, we go our separate ways. And Krew better be _gone_." She stood up on her tip-toes and leaned forward slightly, so her eyes were level with his. "Understand?"

Razer's smirk broadened into a grin. "Certainly. It's just business, after all."

He held out his hand. Jyil gripped it tight, squeezing her bloodied, grimy palm to his. She nodded slightly.

"It's a deal then, _Razer_."

His hand slipped from hers and he laughed, tilting his head.

"I look forward to working with you. In two days, come down to the racing garage for your first team meeting. We'll have plenty to discuss by then."

"I'll be there," Jyil said.

She turned to head for the exit, her shoes crunching over rocks and gravel. Her whole body was screaming for sleep, her wounds and bruises throbbing dully with pain. She craved for something hot to drink and a shower of equal temperature. A whistle stopped her halfway in her journey and she spun back around clumsily on her heels. Razer dug into his pocket and tossed her something, which she snatched up in her palm. She narrowed her eyes- it was a key.

"I mentioned protection- that'll get you started. It's to the penthouse suite at the Bayside Hotel in the East part of town," Razer explained, "Since you're now the most wanted person in Kras…I figure you have to start acting like it."

Jyil turned the gold-colored key over in her fingers and laughed the first real laugh she'd allowed herself in days.

"The sooner the better," added the ex-racer.

"I don't know what to say," Jyil admitted, "I've got a long way to go before I start buying luxury suites."

Razer actually smiled at her.

"You work for me now. Consider that progress."

*******

She staggered up the rickety front porch and knocked on the door, wincing at the pains that were now shooting through her body. Fighting exhaustion and collapse, she'd walked several more miles to a place that was not only familiar to her, but now carried a special quality that she'd never noticed before.

It was the greatest feeling in the world, to go back home.

The door finally creaked open to reveal the worried face of her older sister. Jyil smiled and the woman's eyes widened.

"Sorry I'm late, Maddy."

She fell forward and clamped her sister in a hug as they stepped inside the comfortingly warm house. Maddy's grip was tight around her as they swayed around slightly in each other's arms.

"It's almost one-thirty in the morning! What the hell took so long?!" Maddy hissed.

Jyil pulled away from her, teetering slightly on her heels before stumbling into the living room. Maddy followed worriedly, her white and red sundress floating out behind her as she went.

"There were some…complications," Jyil finally told her, catching the doorway to keep her balance.

"Complications?!" Maddy echoed, "You look terrible! I hardly thought work gave you this much trouble!!"

Jyil laughed humorlessly, slowly blinking through her drowsiness. Her sister gently grabbed her arm and attempted to steer her toward the kitchen, the worried expression now mixed with slight anger.

"Well, I had to work a little over-time, that's all."

Maddy shook her head, pressing a palm to Jyil's cheek to wipe away dirt and sweat. She was still directing her toward the kitchen door, quickly inspecting for any wounds and clicked her tongue after finding several bruises along her arms. Jyil had begun to push open the swinging kitchen door, but a sudden blur ran up to her and something seized her around the waist. She gasped slightly, nearly falling over.

"Aunt Jyil! You're home!"

The voice was so familiar and made relieved tears well up in her eyes. She smiled softly, sinking down to fully bring the little boy into her arms. He grinned at her excitedly, bright brown eyes shining up at her.

"Hello, Charley, my sweetheart. I missed you so much!"

If her voice sounded hoarse and barely recognizable, the boy took no notice. He hugged her tighter, saying,

"I missed you, too! We haven't seen you in forever!"

Jyil studied him for a moment, tousling his thick sandy hair. Tears stung dully behind her eyes, but she smiled through it, cupping her youngest nephew's cheeks in her hands.

"I know, honey. I'm sorry."

The six-year-old grinned. "It's okay. I'm just happy to see you!"

Jyil fell to a sitting position and Charley scrambled into her lap, his little arms still wrapped tightly around her. She sniffed and pressed a kiss to his head, rocking him back and forth. Maddy stepped forward to watch them, one hand unconsciously settling on her slightly protruding belly. Jyil glanced up at her and she smiled.

"I told them they could stay up until you came home, but you were so late…"

Charley finally loosened his grip around her, and Jyil tousled his hair, smiling down at him in relief. She never thought she'd be this happy to see his face, to embrace him and hear his voice again.

"Why don't you go back to bed, kiddo?" Jyil whispered to him, "I'll make breakfast tomorrow when you wake up."

"Okay." Charley beamed and clamped her in another hug. "G'night, Aunt Jyil," he whispered in reply.

He kissed her on the cheek, then scuttled to his feet to hug Maddy as gently as he could, seeing as how he was so careful around her now that she was pregnant.

"'Night, Aunt Maddy," he said.

She giggled quietly as he spun around to trudge up the stairs to the guest room, his bangs flipping up over his head as he went. Jyil rose to a standing position, wincing from the effort. She leaned against the wall for support as Maddy said,

"They were so excited to see you. Even Oskar was- you know he cares the most."

Jyil limped over to the sofa, where her fourteen-year-old nephew lay sound asleep, a blanket draped over him. He was sprawled out comfortably, his arm hanging to the floor and his legs slung over the arm rest. She smiled at him, leaning down to lift the bangs from his forehead and plant a kiss there.

"Yes, I know. He's just too embarrassed to admit it."

Jyil gently ran her fingers through his hair, feeling the tears surge once again. She pulled the blanket tighter around him, trying to ignore the fact her fingers were trembling.

"Come on, Jyil," Maddy said, "Time for a doctor's visit."

She smirked, wincing at the pain in her leg as she walked past her sister to head into the kitchen. A pot was steaming on the stove and two mugs waited with tea packets inside. Maddy poured the hot water in each of them, and handed one to her. Jyil held it fiercely in her hands, so relieved to have something warm to drink. Maddy rapped her knuckles on the counter.

"Sit," she ordered.

Jyil complied, grimacing at the pain. Carefully, Maddy unwrapped the makeshift bandage around her leg and inspected the gash. She frowned thoughtfully, reaching into one of the cabinets under the sink for a First-Aid kit.

"How's it look, Doc?" Jyil quipped, drinking her tea.

Maddy raised her eyebrows. "So this was the 'complication', huh? Someone wasn't paying attention."

Jyil scowled but said nothing, enjoying the soothing taste of the tea instead. She tensed as Maddy pressed a gauze strip doused in disinfectant against the wound, crying out. Her sister kept the strip firmly in place, shaking her head.

"You have some nasty bruises, too," she observed.

"Yeah, I have bruises. You should consider me lucky that's all I have."

Maddy fished for a needle and thread, smirking. "Looks like he got you pretty good. So he really was worth all that money, I take it?"

Jyil squeezed her eyes shut as her sister began stitching up the gash, taking another sip of tea to take her mind off the pain. She hissed and punched the counter as the needle pulled at her skin.

"Every penny," was the terse reply.

Maddy paused their conversation to stitch for a few minutes, several strands of hair falling from her ponytail as she worked. Jyil sighed shakily, leaning her head back against the cabinets. Soon, her wound was treated and she felt as though she could fall asleep at any second. Maddy's voice brought her back to reality.

"What happened, Jyil? There's something you're not telling me."

She looked over at her sister, watching her for a moment as she cleaned her hands in the sink. Maddy looked up at her expectantly, her sapphire eyes locking with Jyil's amber ones.

"You've told me everything since you were a kid, always. You probably told Dana stuff too, but it was always me you came to. Whatever you aren't telling me, I've heard worse. After your little sister tells you she's an assassin you can pretty much roll with anything."

Jyil laughed in spite of herself. She reached out and gently laid her hand on Maddy's midriff, still slightly smiling.

"Don't get too worked up, okay? For her sake."

"Just tell me what's going on," Maddy said evenly, settling her hand over Jyil's dirty one.

She took in a breath. "I didn't kill Razer. Couldn't do it."

Jyil watched as her sister's eyes grew wide and let her hand slide from her belly, shaking her head. Tears burned again as Maddy said,

"Are you…are you serious?!"

"…Yeah."

Jyil grimaced as Maddy made a throwaway gesture, taking a few steps back and covering her face with her fingers. She laughed once, not knowing what else to do. Jyil watched tearfully as she leaned against the counter beside her, whispering something under her breath.

"I couldn't kill him, Maddy. I let him go."

"Well of course you couldn't do it! You had an attack of the conscience and decided to let him keep his wicked life, am I right?!"

Jyil's ears burned at hearing her sister's sarcasm. Her voice was louder than Jyil would have liked, and her eyes flitted to the doorway, where she knew Oskar still slept on the couch. Her vision blurred with more tears and she forced herself to look at her shoes, hating the way she felt. It was as though they were children again, and Jyil had stolen Maddy's clothes without permission like she did so many times before. The latter fought to keep her voice low, practically glaring at her little sister. Jyil finally looked up at her, angry now.

"You're seriously mad at me? You can't underst-"

Maddy stormed out of the second doorway leading into the dining room, her dress snapping slightly as she went. Jyil was left to stare into space, her mouth hanging open stupidly after being interrupted. Maddy reappeared seconds later with a familiar folder spread open in her hands, rifling through the papers inside. Jyil's eyes widened and she jumped off the counter after her. Pain shot up the length of her leg, causing her to bite her knuckles to stifle a scream.

"Maddy, give that to me," Jyil managed to groan.

She turned to keep away from her, the auburn ponytail striking her across the cheek. Several pictures fell from the folder and fluttered to the blue and white tiles. Maddy prodded the papers angrily and hissed,

"Three counts of grand theft auto, street racing, robbery, assault, assault with a deadly weapon, illegal gambling-"

"Maddy, give it to me!"

"- possession of illegal weapons, attempted murder, murder-"

"Maddy!"

She snapped the folder shut and threw it on the counter, clattering the sugar, salt and pepper shakers. Jyil flinched.

"What more does that bastard have to get away with?!" Maddy exclaimed. Even with a hushed voice, she still seemed threatening. "We aren't teenagers anymore, Jyil. Razer is _not_ who we used to think he was! He is not a hero- he is a _murderer_!"

Jyil could feel the tears slipping down her cheeks to drip from her chin. She shook her head slowly, gazing up at her sister almost pleadingly.

"…So am I," she whispered.

Maddy's expression softened instantly. She sighed. "You're better than he is. The people you…take care of…are terrible people. You're protecting others by doing that- he kills anyone who gets in his way. For no reason."

Jyil laughed a sardonic laugh, stamping her foot on the floor. She looked to the ceiling, at the dim overhead light splattered with old food stains. Droplets ran at odd angles down her face as she grabbed fistfuls of her tangled, damp hair.

"Don't lie to me, Maddy. I can't stand it. Don't defend what I do; you may still love me in spite of everything, but Dana won't. And neither will Dad."

"That's why this was the last time," Maddy said softly, "The money would have been everything you needed to quit the job and still race for Rayn."

Jyil closed her eyes, sinking back into her place on the counter. Her foot caught on one of the pictures as she went and it caught the light. Maddy gazed back at her with sympathetic eyes. The younger of the two pressed her palms to her forehead and whimpered slightly.

"No, it wouldn't. I was going to give that money to you, Oskar and Charley. To keep them in school, to pay for your hospital bills, for _everything_."

Jyil paused to suck in a breath as Maddy walked back up to her. She straightened up and continued.

"So, I dipped into Rayn's funds a bit. It was enough to support me for a year until I started winning races, or if she decided to fire me. And…if the worst happened, the money would go to you and Dana."

Maddy gasped softly. "Jyil, she could kill you if she finds out!!"

"She did. And she tried."

Jyil painfully lifted her other leg and rolled down the leather of her shoe to reveal the large, bluish purple bruises that shined dully around her ankle. Maddy let out a sharp gasp this time.

"She sent Bowie and UR-86 to do the honors. That fucking robot grabbed me and threw me around like a ragdoll." Jyil gazed up at her sister and smiled slightly. "Razer saved my life. I don't think he meant to at all, but he did…and now, long story short, I work for him."

Maddy looked torn between shouting, whispering and crying all at once. Jyil winced for the umpteenth time, reaching out to grasp her hand reassuringly. She barely allowed her this action, looking at her strangely.

"Oh, my God…you shouldn't have come to the house!!"

"I had to see the kids, Maddy."

The other woman pressed her hands to her cheeks and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I had to see them- I can't stress that enough. I almost died tonight," Jyil told her, voice quavering. "I thought I would never see you or them ever again. I accepted his offer because I wanted to at least _see_ them again; can you understand that?"

Maddy nodded, holding back tears of her own. She ran a hand through her hair, sniffling. Jyil slid carefully off the counter again and closed her in a gentle embrace. They held each other for a few minutes, listening to the grandfather clock tick loudly from the living room.

"What if she comes after you again?" Maddy whispered.

"…He promised me protection."

"You can't rely on that, and you know it."

Jyil pulled away from her, running her hand up and down her arm soothingly. Maddy sniffed, trying to keep her mascara from smearing. She regarded her little sister seriously for a moment before she spoke.

"We aren't kids anymore, Jyil. This isn't like sneaking out after dark to go watch him race. This is _real_. Razer is not that hero we used to put up on such a great pedestal. I hope you know that."

"… I do."

Maddy sighed. "And doing all of this for me, and the kids…you don't have to."

Jyil stepped away from her, moving to pick up the pictures on the floor. She nodded.

"Yes, I have to."

The two sisters talked for a few more minutes, before Maddy decided she would head to off to bed. She left Jyil alone, who had gone to sit at the dinner table turning the pictures over in her hands. He looked so happy in one of older images of him as a teen, dressed in ratty clothes with a wrench in hand, perched atop his car and laughing at a friend standing beside him. It almost fascinating to her, to get a small glimpse into his life, particularly to see him at such a young age. She flipped to the next one; him again at sixteen, caught in a triumphant laugh after catching a redheaded boy in a headlock. Print on the back read, _property of the Krimzon Guard_, and she frowned curiously. According to his file, he'd lived in Haven City for quite awhile before moving to Kras at the age of 11; she wondered why the Krimzon Guard had once owned this picture.

With a small sigh, she dug her spoon yet again into the tub of ice-cream she'd brought from the freezer, closing her eyes as the familiar, calming taste spread across her tongue. It had always been comfort food, and tonight was no exception. The floorboards suddenly creaked off to her right and she gave a start, turning sharply to face Oskar. He smiled at her sheepishly.

"Hi," he said.

Jyil hurriedly brushed the papers back into the folder as he walked closer to her, his hands in the pockets of his raggedy jeans.

"Hi, kiddo. Did I wake you up?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "No, I noticed the light was on out here. I wanted to see you, I guess."

Jyil smiled as the teen sank into the chair across from her, tapping her fingers on the folder absently. Oskar returned the gesture, crossing his thin arms over the table. His short greenish-blue hair was in disarray and he may have grown a few inches since she'd last seen him, but he was still the boy she remembered.

"I missed you," he said.

"You aren't embarrassed to say it?" Jyil asked him with a wry smile.

Oskar yawned, shaking his head. He propped up one elbow and cupped his chin heavily in his hand, watching as his aunt ate another spoonful of ice-cream.

"Nope. I don't care what anyone says. I haven't seen you in a month."

Jyil sighed, swallowing the desert sloppily. "I was away on business. Haven City can be really difficult to…work in."

Oskar nodded again, rubbing his eye. He frowned slightly, reaching for something on the table. Jyil's eyes widened and she would have said something had there not been a large mound of ice-cream in her mouth. The teen took one of the glossy photos she'd failed to put away in his hand and inspected it, one eyebrow arched. He laughed.

"What's this for, Aunt Jyil?"

He flicked it over and Razer's smirking face greeted her from the image. She growled slightly. Oskar laughed again.

"So you do still have a crush on him! Mom found one of your notebooks the other day, and I read some of it. Pretty funny stuff."

Jyil snatched the picture from his fingers and stuffed it away. Silently, she was horrified at what Oskar could have read in one of her old diaries, which were filled with tales of angst, unrequited love, gushing and her scribbled drawings of cars and car parts.

"Oh, joy. Well, I was actually going to give you one of those, but that wasn't the one I had in mind," Jyil grumbled. "And it wasn't a crush, Oskar. He was someone I admired, that's all."

Her nephew snorted. "That's not what I read."

Jyil was at once defensive, pointing at him threateningly with the ice-cream spoon. She couldn't help the smile creeping across her lips, however.

"You took it out of context," she told him, simply.

Oskar shook his head, a wide grin across his face. Jyil could see the holes in his well-loved Grand Prix t-shirt at that moment and made a note to buy him some new clothes soon.

"I don't think so. When you started talking about his hair I nearly lost it! 'How does he get it like that? It's so perfect.' Those were your exact words!"

Jyil felt her cheeks reddening, flicking ice-cream at him to stop the embarrassing memories from resurfacing. Oskar snickered, wiping the chocolate from his nose. His aunt smiled at him and winked. She had almost forgotten what his laugh sounded like; it was uplifting to hear.

"I did like to read them, though. When you weren't blubbering about him, you actually had some cool stuff to say. Some of it….I dunno…it was like you're talking about how I feel now." Oskar made a face and shrugged. "I know that sounds stupid, but…yeah."

The fell into a comfortable silence. Jyil smiled at him again, watching as he fiddled with the makeshift necklace she'd made for him: a key on the end of a dog tag chain. It belonged to an old combat racer they were restoring together. Oskar loved racing almost as much as she did; her sister would joke he was really the kid Jyil was meant to have in the future. There were times when he'd felt like her child, particularly when he had been a baby and Dana hadn't been able to take care of him as often as she would've liked. Jyil and Oskar were like spiritual mother and son, and often they could finish each other's sentences.

She handed the ice-cream spoon to him and he took it gratefully, leaning forward to scoop out a large mound.

"Can you keep a secret, grease monkey?" Jyil asked him.

Oskar nodded, cheeks stuffed with melting goop. She giggled

"…I'm going to race for Razer's team this year, not Rayn's."

He almost spat everything over the table, his eyes bugging out in shock. Jyil made a face of disgust, half-laughing as she handed him a napkin.

"You're kidding me!" Oskar gasped.

Jyil shook her head. "No, I'm not. But you can't go telling everyone, alright? It only just happened and I don't need the extra attention."

Oskar gripped his hair excitedly in his fists. "Aw, I have to tell someone!"

"No, you can't tell a soul. _No one_. Understand?"

Her nephew let out a dramatic sigh, sinking back down into his seat. Jyil raised her eyebrows.

"Alright, alright. I won't say a word. Don't give me that look."

Jyil smiled. "Good boy."

The two shared the tub of ice-cream in contented silence before Oskar yawned terribly. Jyil managed to convince him to go to bed, in spite of how excited he was. At the bottom of the stairs, he brought her into a fierce hug, grinning.

"I'm really glad you're home, Aunt Jyil," he said.

She couldn't stop tears from welling up and held him tighter, kissing the top of his head.

"I am, too, sweetheart. Believe me…"


	6. VI

**Author's note: Hello. I apologize for taking some time off, but…sickness just has a nasty way of sneaking up on you… Anyway, this chapter is another character-ish chap, so please don't throw rotten tomatoes at me for depriving you of action. Haha. There WILL be some racing action next time, I promise. Hope you enjoy! ~Hilts.**

Sudden pounding threw her unwillingly from sleep. She jumped awake with a slight gasp, leaping to an upright position to instinctively grab for the pistol lying on the nightstand. Colors blurred and her momentum pitched her too far off the bed. She fell to the floor with a yelp, crumpling uncomfortably against the table. The pounding came again. Squinting in the harsh light streaming into the room from the surrounding French windows, Jyil worked irritably to untangle herself from the sheets. She moved to crawl back into bed, thinking it must have been a confused member of the cleaning staff, but the series of thuds sounded once more, much more forcibly this time. Jyil threw her head back and groaned, muttering swears under her breath. She left the bed regrettably and padded from her room to the door, her bare feet slapping against the hardwood floors. Sunlight had poured into the living room and she cringed, walking sluggishly past the large wall-sized window that overlooked the eastern bay of Kras City.

Rubbing her eyes, Jyil reached for the door and yanked it open slightly, the chain pulling taught. She poked her head around to greet the visitors, still clearing the blur from an eye.

"I'm sorry; you've got the wrong place."

"Miss Jyil, I presume?" a deep voice drawled.

She jumped, her heart automatically pounding a little faster. Two burly men stood outside in the entrance hall, dressed sharply in black suits. They each had jagged scars across their faces and muscle-bound arms bulged through the fabric of their jackets. Jyil edged behind the door to further hide her scantily-dressed form.

"Uh…can I help you…gentleman?"

"We were sent to escort you to the racing garage this afternoon, Miss. Boss' orders."

It was apparent they were attempting to be polite, but they only succeeded in scaring her. Jyil fumbled for words, painfully aware of the fact she was only dressed in a baggy purple t-shirt and her underwear.

"Alright…let me get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs."

One of the men smirked at her. "Hurry please."

Jyil quickly shut the door, running back to the bedroom to rummage through her suitcase for a new outfit. She had only been living out of the Penthouse for two days, and she'd slept for most of it. Wrestling into a pair of jeans, she swiftly pulled her belt tight, snatching up a brush from the dresser. She ran it hastily through her hair, wincing as the teeth snagged on a few snarls. Throwing the brush on to the bed, she grabbed for a shirt and pulled it over her head.

"Miss Jyil," came the deep voice.

She buttoned up the blouse as fast as her fingers would allow, shaking her head.

"I'll be right out!"

Jyil quickly checked herself in the mirror before leaving the bedroom. She was sure they were laughing at her, or they were steadily becoming annoyed. Either way, she ran faster about the Penthouse, jamming her foot into the boot she'd left in the hallway. The other one had somehow found its way into the breakfast nook, and she pulled it on with a grimace as yet another pound sounded against the door. Muttering curses, Jyil snatched up a banana from the bowl of fruit on the table and leapt for the exit, her fingers fumbling to unlatch the chain from the wall. She pulled the door open, finding the men staring back at her in the exact same positions she'd left them. The first to speak to her dipped his head and smiled. Jyil cleared her throat, brushing the hair from her eyes.

"I'm ready," she said.

It was a tense elevator ride back down to the main lobby; the men walked close to her, their shoulders pressing tight against hers. They both towered over her, and their build made her trim 5'8 frame look scrawny by comparison. Jyil was surprised a luxury car was waiting for them outside, and slid into the back seat almost hesitantly, clutching the banana tight in her hand. One of the men sat in the back with her and she gulped. The subsequent car ride was even tenser than their time in the elevator.

Jyil was positive they each had a weapon on them, and they had to be specially trained; one look at their muscles and those scars told her enough. Their 'charming' personalities sealed the deal. She mentally kicked herself for not bringing a gun. Unable to find words for small talk, she reached for the banana and peeled it, eating the fruit in uncomfortable silence.

_Way to make one hell of first impression…_

***

Razer watched calmly as the car pulled into view up ahead, sunlight glinting brilliantly off of the tinted windows. He put the cigarette to his lips once again and waited, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat. There was a brief pause as the car slid to a stop, and one of the men stepped from the back doors, keeping it held open for their weary passenger. Jyil appeared a few seconds later squinting in the light, clutching what was left of a banana in her fist. Razer arched an eyebrow.

_My god. That's a first._

She said something to one of the men before he slumped back into the car. Jyil did him the honor of slamming the door closed. As they drove away, she stalked up to the entrance, cramming the last piece of fruit in her mouth. Razer slowly blew out a trail of smoke, though a faint expression of disgust had crossed his face. Jyil walked right past him, oblivious to his presence, heading for the doors alone. He stopped her with the words,

"I take it they weren't too rough with you."

She turned on her heels to face him, one cheek protruding slightly with food, the banana peel dangling from her fingers. A strange look of embarrassment had crossed her face and she spun back around to hide her shame. Razer allowed himself a roll of his eyes, stepping closer. Jyil had finally composed herself, carefully wiping her lips.

"Are you alright?" Razer asked, flicking ashes from his cigarette. His tone was devoid of any compassion.

"Just finishing my breakfast," she huffed. Looking up at him, she added, "Since I didn't order a wake-up call, I'm a little…rushed."

"Don't think I won't keep tabs on you. And you're quite late, besides."

Razer smirked and walked inside the building. Jyil followed behind him, barely convincing herself not to throw the banana peel at the back of his head. It thudded into a garbage can instead as they continued down the long corridors of the garage. She scowled as a blue-grey cloud of smoke puffed into her eyes. They stopped in front of a twin pair of doors and waited. Razer took a drag on the cigarette, embers glowing in the semi-darkness.

"Since we're pressed for time, let's get right to it. If your car needs repairs, upgrades, what have you- this is the place to get it," he explained as the doors hissed open.

Jyil couldn't help smiling as her eyes caught sight of the racing vehicles lying at rest inside, nestled in their respective spots. The lights reflected off of the polished surfaces as Razer led her past; she watched longingly as their shadows swiped across them, unaware of the sudden bounce in her step. Her fingers started twitching and she buried her hands in her pockets in effort to quell the need to touch anything.

"So which one of these is mine?" Jyil asked as her eyes held on a particularly attractive car in the corner.

Razer chuckled; smoke puffed above him in quick little clouds. Jyil continued on behind him, her fingers now tightened into fits to stop the twitching.

"Be patient. You'll get something with four wheels at least."

Jyil gave him an odd look, but her attention remained on the race cars around them. Her inner child was threatening to leap right out of her. She felt like running up to each vehicle and squealing excitedly at all the colors and modifications, but she highly doubted Razer would appreciate that. She welcomed all familiar feelings as they came rushing back; a thick smell of motor oil, rubber and a hint of gasoline hung through he garage. Her smile broadened.

"Once you are assigned a vehicle, you will be allowed to use this garage whenever you like. Depending on how well you do, you may be permitted your own private space to work," Razer informed her as they walked along.

The cars had decreased in class as they walked along. Some of them were beat up and their armor was dented, much less impressive than their 4th class counterparts. Jyil blinked at a shower of sparks off to her right, the thudding tones of rock music sounding much louder in the hallow space. Several mechanics ran around urgently, covered in grease and sweat, tattoos visible on their arms.

A chorus of giggles suddenly came to her ears, clashing with the natural sounds of the garage. Jyil looked over Razer's shoulder ahead to see a gaggle of women, each wearing something reserved for the strip clubs found in downtown Kras. She scowled at their flirtatious looks and bright smiles. Umbrella Girls- or 'Paddock Girls' as many of the racers so thoughtfully called them- did not always sit well with her. They'd been associated with the sport since Blitz had come up with the idea a few years ago. All they did was stand and look pretty, holding umbrellas over the drivers as they waited on the track before the race.

"Hi, Razer," they collectively cooed.

Jyil heaved a sigh. _Of course._

He nodded to them. "Afternoon, ladies."

The girls fell into giggles after he smiled at them. Jyil rolled her eyes, disgusted. Quickening her pace to match his, she felt the eyes of the women follow her. Their laughter faded away; Jyil felt her cheeks flush. Each of the girls fixed her with a warning glare as they passed by. Razer didn't seem to notice. Jyil took a brief moment to look back at the Umbrella Girls and shook her head slightly. They all wore skirts or short shorts, dressed in 'modified' racers outfits, colored to match the members of the team. Blonde, brunette and red hair bobbed amidst the small crowd. Razer laughed, having finally caught the expressions on their faces.

"She's only a racer, girls. Strictly a business matter."

All of them giggled once more, as if relieved. Jyil snorted as Razer started forward again, still puffing on his cigarette. The women waved as they departed, some of them twirling their respective umbrellas. Razer had a smug smile on his face; Jyil shuddered.

"You sicken me," she said, "You really do."

The retired racer narrowed his eyes at her, but refused to reply. They turned a corner and lines of 1st Class vehicles waited for them, considerably beaten than the previous models. Jyil was too busy holding back laughter to notice.

"It takes a special kinda guy to have groupies," She said with a grin.

Razer shot her another disapproving look, but she ignored him. He finally stopped walking, breathing a fairly long trail of smoke. Jyil came to stand at his shoulder, and he pitched the cigarette, grinding it out beneath his boot. He gestured forward.

"This will be your vehicle for the rest of the season."

Jyil followed his gaze, the odd smile still stretching across her face. She bit her lip in anticipation; Razer watched curiously as her expression fell almost instantly and her jaw dropped.

"I don't believe it…"

She spun around to face him, the braid at her temple briefly slapping across her nose. Razer widened his eyes, ask if asking what was the matter.

"That? _That's _what you're giving me?"

Razer nodded his reply. Jyil laughed in disbelief, spinning strangely back toward the car. She gestured to it with her arms, letting her hands slap back dramatically at her sides.

"What a piece of junk!"

Razer frowned, studying the combat racer before them. "She's faster than she looks," he said.

Jyil rolled her eyes and stalked up to the vehicle, which appeared considerably worn than all the others before it. The paint was scuffed and had faded into a less-than-admirable goldenrod that made her cringe slightly. The armor was cracked in a few places and she could even see rust along the chassis at her feet. She kicked the tires a few times to test their strength, surprised her toes didn't sink into them. Her eyes widened as she circled around to the rear fender, yanking on a strip of black. She fixed Razer with a dark stare.

"Is this…_duct tape_?"

He shrugged. Jyil muttered something through her teeth, irritably peeling the tape away from the car. She inspected the rest of the vehicle, finding more tape covering holes in the upholstery and dust caking the dashboard. Screwing up her face, she dragged her finger across the space, leaving a clean streak along the gauges. Jyil regarded Razer once again, holding up her dusty finger.

"When was the last time someone used this?" she asked in a low voice.

He looked thoughtful, stroking his chin. "It's got to be roughly, one or two years since she's seen any action."

"Are you serious?" Jyil whispered harshly. She walked up to him, pointing furiously at the car behind her. "You're giving me a _lemon_. A big, dusty, piss-yellow lemon!!"

Razer frowned at her choice of words. He calmly reached into his breast pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes as she fumed.

"Are you aware what car that is?"

"No. Do tell!" Jyil snapped.

Razer tapped the pack of smokes against his palm and another stick came sliding into view. He took it in his long fingers and placed it calmly between his lips. Jyil crossed her arms, clearly impatient.

"I can assure you it's as good as any," he told her, the cigarette bobbing up and down as he spoke, "The old Falcons are some of the best. You should only be so lucky I'm giving you this one."

Jyil's jaw dropped for the second time. "A Falcon? The last person to use a Falcon was Nathan Blitz! I was _eight_ when he raced for the last time!!"

Razer cupped his hands to protect the small flame of his lighter. Jyil pursed her lips and stood at an angle, blinking instinctively as he flicked the silver and red object closed. A puff of smoke once again curled into her eyes and she glared at him.

"That is what makes it interesting, wouldn't you say?" Razer told her with a grin. "The car still runs nicely, despite what you think. Perhaps it hasn't been properly restored, but…I think it suits you just fine."

Jyil looked back at the Falcon, automatically hateful of its yellow armor and crooked front bumper. She shook her head.

"How do you expect me to win anything in that?"

Razer sighed, running a hand through his hair. He took the cigarette in his fingers and carelessly flicked ashes to the floor.

"A challenge will be good for you. I started with less; I'm sure you can work something out."

Razer turned to leave her alone in the parking space, heading back out into the corridors. Jyil stared at the car with growing frustration. How was she going to be taken seriously driving something that hadn't been seen on the tracks for ten years? It was such a drastic change from her Javelin; she was sure the moment she got it out of the garage it would fall apart. _Of course_ he would have given her a crappy car- why hadn't she seen it coming? She sensed sudden movement beside her and jumped as a large tool box clattered to the floor at her feet. Wrenches, washers and screwdrivers clanged loudly against the concrete. Jyil winced, shifting her eyes to meet Razer's. The cigarette pointed up at an odd angle as he regarded her with a tight-lipped smile.

"When life gives you lemons…"

He said it with such nonchalance it made her blood boil. His laugh rang slightly in the hollow space as he headed back toward the exit.

"I trust you know the rest, Angel."

She glared at him until he was gone from sight.

***

The practice track was loud, dusty and dirty- just the way he liked it. Shiv wouldn't admit to it, but there were times when he missed the blistering heat and stinging sand of the Wasteland. It was where he'd been born, after all, and Kras City bored him at times. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the side of his orange-painted combat racer, watching a few of the newbies fumble through their laps.

"You know we're getting a new teammate today, right?"

Shiv nodded, swiveling his eyes to look at his new companion.

"Yeah."

"I don't like it already; sounds fishy to me."

Shiv heaved a sigh, rolling his eyes. Edje always thought things sounded 'fishy' or 'smelled a rat.' The guy was more than a little paranoid.

"I doubt he's any good," he continued, moving to stand beside Shiv.

"C'mon. The Boss never chose anyone who wasn't any good."

"Sure, but none of them ever lived past the first championship. I think losing last year did more than piss him off; it fucked up his brain."

Shiv snorted. "Like you're one to talk."

Edje scowled at him but decide to let it slide. Both of them watched with indifferent expressions as the racers continued to circle the track, kicking up long trails of dust as they went. One of the vehicles came veering off the track to come toward them, screeching to a halt mere feet from the back bumper of Shiv's car. A large cloud of grit washed over them soon after. Edje coughed; Shiv squinted as the engine abruptly growled to a stopped and the driver pulled himself from behind the wheel.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I'd kill you if you wrecked my car," he snarled.

"Thought the newbie was here- wanted to scare the shit out of 'em," was the reply.

"Well, you're gonna have to wait, Cutter, because no one's showed up yet."

Even from behind his racing mask, Cutter looked disappointed. Shiv shook his head as the third member of their team joined them. Edje absently cracked his knuckles as they went back to waiting.

"Does anyone else think it's a bit strange for us to be getting a new teammate when we can just use the damn robot?"

Shiv raised his eyebrows; he actually had to agree with him on that. Cutter sighed, which sounded more like a rattling growl than anything.

"I hate that bucket of bolts. I swear it tries to kill me every time."

Edje grunted a laugh. "Maybe Blitz used to program it to kill you."

Shiv rolled his eyes again, catching the familiar crimson of Razer's trench coat ahead. He thumped Edje on the shoulder.

"Shut up, the Boss is coming."

They all collectively straightened up, an action that was now automatic. Razer looked at them strangely for a moment as he walked up to them. He smirked.

"You're all here as I asked- it's a miracle."

"Where's this new racer you told us about?" Shiv asked him, wanting to cut right to the chase.

If Razer thought his actions were too daring, he didn't show it. Instead he took a thoughtful drag on his cigarette.

"She'll be here in a moment."

Before Shiv could say anything, Cutter beat him to it.

"Hold up, Boss. You said 'she'?"

Razer looked at him crookedly. "That's right."

Shiv fell into disbelieving laughter, massaging his forehead with his fingers. Cutter had fallen silent; Edje was at once defensive.

"A _woman_ is joining the team? You're kidding right?!"

Shiv shook his head. "Explain the math of this to me, Boss."

"None of you have balked at a new driver before," Razer interrupted, voice firm, "Are you really going to waste my time with this?"

A beat of silence fell over the group, disrupted only by the roar of the combat racers circling the practice track behind them. Edje cracked his knuckles again and Shiv heaved a sigh, pursing his lips. Cutter remained strangely quiet, as if thinking something over. Edje took in a breath then stopped, as if debating on whether or not he should say anything. Razer allowed him to speak with a slight nod of his head. Emboldened, Edje spoke.

"A woman. It doesn't seem like the greatest idea to bring one into our affairs. How do we know she's good at anything? Does she even know her way around a toolbox?"

Shiv stared at him, as if he were stupid; Razer puffed tendrils of smoke into the air, frowning. He leaned against the nearest vehicle and crossed his arms.

"Clearly, you aren't thinking about this, and I suppose I should have explained more for your benefit," he began, flicking ashes into the wind. "I wouldn't bring someone into this if I didn't think they were up to the task. And it just so happens a woman meets the criteria this time around."

Edje grunted, understanding the insult to his intelligence. When he spoke, his tone was less threatening.

"I'm just saying, Boss, why not use 86? What's the sense of having to pay someone when you can hire the robot?" Awareness suddenly softened his scowl. "Unless…are you, like…banging this chick?"

Shiv muttered a swear, half-laughing. Cutter gurgled something that sounded like laughter. Razer heaved a tired sigh, a thick cloud of smoke coiling into the air above his head. He rolled his eyes.

"No, Edje. The racer and I are not…romantically involved," was the stiff reply.

"Well then what's the point?!"

Shiv groaned, shaking his head for the umpteenth time. He was never really one to question Razer's actions, seeing as how they'd known each other since they were teenagers. Edje and Cutter were notoriously difficult to deal with and often explanations would continue in circles before they understood anything. As they attempted to argue further, Shiv's gaze settled lazily back to the building ahead. He was surprised to spy someone he'd never seen before. It was a girl- an attractive one at that. She looked toward the track for a moment, and odd smile crossing her face. Shiv watched curiously as she headed for a group of mechanics, her hair bouncing slightly as she walked.

"Boss," he said, jerking his head forward, "Is that her?"

Razer followed his gaze, pitching his cigarette. "Why, yes."

Cutter and Edje matched their lines of sight; Shiv couldn't help smirking as he watched their eyes widen. In the distance, the mechanics pointed in their direction. The woman thanked them and began walking forward. Edje laughed a strange cackle, biting his lip.

"You have one _hell_ of a sense of humor, Boss."

"Hm," Razer mused, "So it would seem."

The woman racer was almost upon them. She stopped as Razer went up to greet her. Shiv arched an eyebrow; he couldn't help but notice she'd definitely missed a button on her blouse, not leaving certain things to imagination. He could tell Edje and Cutter were desperately holding back less-than-admirable remarks, their eyes firmly set on a particular aspect of her figure. Razer's voice managed to snap them all from their shameful daze.

"Gentleman, I'd like you to meet the newest addition to our team, Miss Jyil."

She appeared cautious of them, though strived to be polite, wiggling her fingers at them in a silent greeting. It was apparent she was slightly unnerved by the way Cutter was keenly leering at her form. Shiv nodded to her and she almost smiled. Edje could only smirk. Razer seemed to sense what was going on and his lip curled slightly at their boyish behavior.

"Jyil, these are my racers: Cutter, Shiv and Edje," he informed her.

She winced somewhat under their gaze, clearing her throat.

"I uh…I look forward to the season."

They didn't say anything in response. Cutter laughed lightly from behind his mask. A few more tense minutes followed as Razer took her aside and explained which combat racers belonged to them, when she could use the practice track and which mechanics were to be working there. Shiv found his eyes wandering, watching as she walked along the track with a slight swivel to her hips. He smirked. Razer let her wander on her own, though he kept an eye on her as she walked out of earshot. He came back to the group, waiting for their response. Edje was the first to speak.

"_Her_. That's our new teammate?!"

"Yes. What part of that don't you understand?" Razer huffed, trying to massage away an impending headache.

Edje looked from him to Jyil and back. "Am I the only one who thinks she looks familiar?"

"No," Cutter spoke up, "I know who she is." He stared after her with an almost threatening shine to his eyes. "She's won tons of the exhibition races. One pretty little rookie you got us, Boss."

"Preseason doesn't mean shit," growled Shiv, "I'll have to see what she's got."

Edje came back into their group, having finally torn his eyes from Jyil's receding figure. He buried his hands in his pockets and turned to Razer.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but, wasn't she all set to race for Rayn this year?"

Razer raised his eyebrows, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"She had a slight change of heart."

All three of his racers fixed him with skeptical expressions. Razer let out a short sigh, straightening up. He stared back at the three men with a critical gaze. Absently smoothing away a wrinkle on his trench coat, he spoke.

"I understand you all have questions. But this is not the place or time. Let me gather my thoughts, and we'll sort this all out later. Until then…" Razer held out his arm, gesturing to the dusty practice track. "You have some racing to do, gentleman."

Edje grunted, as if in agreement. Cutter gave a slight nod, heading to climb back into his car. They both drove away, leaving behind thick clouds of exhaust and dirt. Only Shiv remained, his arms still crossed firmly across his chest. He arched an eyebrow, and Razer returned the gesture, as if awaiting a response. Shiv laughed.

"I can see the gears turning in your head, Razer," he said, "What did you pull us into this time?"

Razer smiled. "Don't you trust me?"

Shiv smirked; it was habit of his boss to answer a question with a question. Turning his gaze back to their newest teammate, Shiv could see she'd sat down on the rickety bleachers, chin in her fists, watching as the cars screeched through the turns.

"I don't know about this one. She just seems so…different."

"Hm. Well, a little variety never hurt anyone," Razer sighed. "And she's talented. I almost hate to say it, but…she has potential."

Shiv grunted a laugh. "And a nice ass."

Razer allowed himself a chuckle, training his eyes once again on Jyil sitting by herself in the empty stands. He tilted his head slightly, reaching for another cigarette.

"I'm sure that goes without saying."


	7. VII

**Author's note: Hey there. I know I promised racing action last time, but…oops. I guess that's next chapter. Sorry. BUT! There is action in this chapter- I will say that. Actually, comments on this chapter are VERY welcome- I want to know what everyone thinks so far. Let me know how the heck I'm doing. If any of this is believable, etc. ha ha. The race will come next- I DO promise that!!! ~Captain Hilts.**

'_I can't quite get my head around it; either be him or be like him- which one is it that I prefer? Both sound like crazy talk. And why would I want to be like him anyway, this man who obviously dabbles in crime and gets away with it? Why would I want to be his equal? I've only had my license for a few months and already I have these stupid delusions of winning the Grand Prix and looking good in everyone's eyes- him included._

…_I think I need to get a grip…'_

The cable car came chugging to an abrupt stop, throwing him forward into the seat ahead. A few passengers gave him an odd look as he rubbed the spot on his head. Oskar snapped the tattered notebook shut and scrambled to his feet. He shuffled down the narrow aisle, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as he headed for the exit, jumping down to the cracked street. He watched the cable car crawl away before turning to head down the sidewalk. He slipped the old green notebook into his bag, expertly hiding it amidst his school items. Shouldering the bag once again, Oskar continued down the street, unable to hide the smile that came to him as the familiar checkered flags of the racing garage came into view. Almost excitedly, he jogged across the street to the building and pushed open one of the doors, hearing the banners snap above.

It smelled good inside: motor oil and gasoline. Oskar smirked knowingly to himself as he walked through the dark hallways, absently trailing his fingers along the wall. He could hear the conversations of the mechanics, hissing of machinery and the strange high-pitched whine of drills.

It was the sight of the cars that made his heart pump faster and caused his mouth to dry. Stifling a strange little giggle, he followed the lines of vehicles, ignoring the confused expressions he received from the drivers as he went. His stomach had knotted slightly and his palms itched, awaiting a chance to graze the smooth surface of a nearby car with sand-colored armor. Before he could lay a finger on it, a deep voice boomed behind him.

"Get away from there!!"

Oskar jumped, eyes wide. He took several steps away from the vehicle and folded his arms.

"What were you doing?" demanded the racer.

Oskar looked up at him and flinched, unnerved by the fact he couldn't see the man's face. He remembered hearing about this driver, but his mind was a blank at the moment; his heart thudded against his chest as he fumbled for words.

"I…uh…I'm sorry…"

The man grunted, moving to inspect the car just in case. Oskar's fingers nervously fiddled with the key necklace he wore, moving to take a few more steps back. To his dismay, another racer appeared, seemingly angry.

"Cutter, I need your help back there and you're still messing around with your fucking car!"

"Look, it's not my fault some punk-ass kid found his way in here!"

Oskar felt his stomach lurch uncomfortably as the orange-haired racer turned to look down at him. He was heavily tattooed and missing both ears.

"Um…hi. I'm looking for-"

"Must be one of the girls' kids," Cutter interrupted as if nothing had been said.

The other seemed unconvinced. "No way. He looks too old."

"No he doesn't. These brats all look alike."

Oskar scowled as Cutter grabbed him roughly by the arm, dragging him along through the corridors past several cars and machines. He struggled.

"Let go of me!" the teen shouted, voice cracking, "I'm not-"

"Shut up!"

Oskar growled, but did as he was told. Reluctantly, he allowed himself to be marched through the garage, jumping as the earless racer slammed open a door off to their left. The narrow hallways widened into a lounge area, where several TV screens flashed along the walls and leather furniture surrounded them. Oskar tripped once his sneakers padded on to the carpeted floors and Cutter had to wrench him upright as they walked. Through the screen of his bangs, Oskar could make out the figure of another person sitting on the long couch ahead. He gulped.

It was Razer.

Their eyes locked briefly before Cutter shoved Oskar into one of the leather chairs.

"You wait here," he barked.

Oskar struggled to right himself, sinking too far down into the cushions, accidentally kicking pillows to the floor. He glared after Cutter.

"I tried to tell you! I'm looking for-"

"Kid, if you back–talk one more time, you might not live to regret it. Understand?!"

Oskar clenched his teeth, still awkwardly trying to get situated in the chair, the leather groaning beneath him as he moved. He could feel the redness creeping up his cheeks, knowing that Razer was studying him from across the way; he could smell the nicotine coming from his cigarette. Oskar hung his head and kept his gaze firmly on his sneakers, hearing the muted tones of the televisions around him.

"Shiv, what's going on?"

Oskar pinched his eyes shut. He couldn't believe he was about to be ridiculed in front of Razer. It was bad enough he was probably going to be literally thrown out of the building once they realized he didn't belong to anyone they knew. As if on cue, the orange-haired racer said,

"We found him snooping around the cars. Cutter thinks he's one of the girls' kids."

Oskar wrung his hands nervously, tapping his feet on the floor.

"Really? Are you sure?"

Razer sounded confused. After receiving no further reply from Shiv he heaved a sigh, stabbing out his cigarette in a nearby ashtray. Oskar tried not to cough as thin wisps of smoke wafted through the air. He could feel Razer's eyes on him.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Oskar, sir," he replied, forcing himself to look up.

Secretly, he was mortified by the sound of his voice, the way it made him seem like such a little kid. Razer gave him a slight nod, propping his foot up on his knee as he leaned back against the couch.

"I…came here to find Jyil. You…you guys know who she is, right?"

Razer grinned. The racer named Shiv rolled his eyes, moving to take a seat at the small bar behind him. Oskar winced at how stupid he'd sounded.

"Oh, yes. Of course we know Miss Jyil." Razer moved to stand; the teen mimicked him, teetering slightly on his heels.

"Follow me- Oskar, was it?"

He nodded, attempting to swallow the lump in his throat. Razer guided him up a few steps back through the lounge to the garage. On their way, they ran into Cutter who stopped, seemingly puzzled.

"Boss- I can take care of him."

Oskar scowled; Razer sighed.

"The next time you bring someone back here, make sure you know what they want," he said through gritted teeth.

Cutter shrank back against the wall as the crime lord brushed past him. The boy followed behind him, looking smug.

"Yes, sir…"

Oskar sniggered, tagging along after the retired racer. His anxiety had worn off for the most part as they stepped back into the garage, though he still couldn't bring himself to believe he was walking around with his hero at his shoulder. Oskar could understand every word scribbled in the ratty notebook hidden in his backpack. His aunt may have had a slightly different perspective, but Oskar knew of the strange fascination all too well.

"Jyil never mentioned she had children," Razer said.

Oskar laughed. "That's because she doesn't. I'm her nephew."

The racer fixed him with an interested expression.

"Is that right?"

Oskar nodded, his eyes scanning the cars longingly once again. He followed Razer in silence around a corner, hearing tools clattering and static-ridden rock songs blaring on a small radio. He caught the familiar sapphire of his aunt's hair and ran ahead to greet her. She was sitting on the counter rifling through a box of tools. Her eyes widened once she saw him and she slid from the worktable to pull him into a hug. Laughing, she ruffled his hair.

"Hey, kiddo! What're you doing here?"

Oskar shrugged. "I took the trolley after school. Got nothing better to do."

Jyil arched an eyebrow doubtfully as she leaned back against the table.

"You better not be skipping a detention again- I can't keep saving you from those."

Oskar laughed somewhat nervously, scratching the back of his neck. His eyes flitted back to Razer, who was standing behind them, watching the interaction. Jyil's smile faded as soon as she saw him; Oskar felt her fingers tighten on his shoulder as he turned to look back at the ex-racer.

"He looks like you," he remarked.

"I have work to do," Jyil replied.

Oskar wondered why she looked at him that way; her eyes had lost their warmth and her lips formed a tight straight line. Razer dipped his head.

"I'll leave you both to it."

He leaned forward from the wall, crossing his arms. Oskar heard his aunt mutter something under her breath as Razer gestured to him.

"Nice meeting you, Oskar."

He smiled. "Likewise, sir."

Razer soon disappeared from view, giving them a small salute as he left. Jyil growled slightly, moving to step over to her vehicle. Oskar followed her, dropping his backpack on the workbench. His eyes scanned the car critically, wrinkling his nose at the odd yellow color of the armor.

"Oh, wow. Is this an old Falcon?"

"Old is right," his aunt sighed, "I couldn't believe Razer even had one."

Oskar climbed up the side and plopped into the seat. Even though the gauges and displays were blank, he could picture everything lit up perfectly. He gripped the steering wheel tightly and grinned.

"Look at the turbo gear on this thing!" he laughed.

His fingers drummed on the rounded lever and Jyil shook her head.

"I admire these cars, but I liked my Javelin much better. This hunk of scrap needs to more than just a tune-up. I took it out for a practice run yesterday; I managed to get two laps in before it died on me. They all came running to see if I'd blown something up."

"What's wrong with it?"

Jyil beckoned Oskar to follow her. Grunting slightly, he heaved himself out of the driver's seat and ran to join her, brushing the bangs from his forehead. Jyil popped the hood and pulled it open, propping it up with a rusty support bar. Both of them leaned forward; she pointed.

"See the color on the spark plugs?"

"Yeah."

"The fuel's too lean. That means we need a new carburetor. The car won't start now without one."

Oskar folded his arms, sweeping his gaze across the old engine. He chewed thoughtfully on his lip as Jyil shook her head.

"I'm gonna get my ass laughed at when we race the Freeze Rally this weekend."

Oskar made a face. "Yeah…but Blitz's dad used to drive one of these, right? They're supposed to be really fast- some of the best ones out there; as fast as the Havoc."

His aunt looked at him crookedly. Oskar shrugged. He watched as she left the car to reach for something in the tool box on the counter. Strangely, she walked with a slight limp. Before attempting to ask her anything, she'd tossed something at him, which he automatically caught.

"Since you're here, you can help me take out the carburetor."

Oskar smiled at the idea of working on a car with her. They hadn't worked together on something in a long time; he'd always liked the conversations they had. She joined him at the hood once again, placing her hands on the frame.

"I need you to tag each of the fuel lines for me so I can remember where they go," Jyil told him, reaching into the engine.

Oskar nodded, opening the little box and pulling out a small colored sticky tag. He leaned forward to tape one to the first hose that was removed.

"Did they give you a rough time?" Jyil asked, pulling a second line.

"Not…really. One of them thought I was somebody's kid." Oskar smirked as he taped on an orange tag. "Razer thought I was your son."

Jyil raised her eyebrows, yanking out a round of lines. Oskar tied yellow, green and red tags to them as she paused to wipe the grease from her fingers.

"You didn't annoy the hell out of him," she observed, "Must've clammed up, huh?"

Oskar stuck his tongue out at her. "There's no way I could've asked for his autograph. Do you think I'm crazy?"

His aunt smiled, taking a socket wrench from her back pocket. She leaned over the Falcon, her long ponytail spilling over her shoulder.

"You're my nephew- you've gotta be a little crazy."

Oskar rolled his eyes, tossing the box of tags on to the worktable, hearing the wrench clicking away. He let out a small sigh, scratching his head. Jyil pulled off one of the nuts keeping the carburetor in place, holding it up for him to see.

"Hands, please."

He cupped his palms and she dropped the greasy object into his waiting fingers. As she cranked the wrench for the next one, the teen asked,

"Do you like working for him?"

Jyil paused in her work, but only for a moment. It was enough for Oskar to notice an odd flash of emotion in her eyes.

"It's only been a week, Oz. I think it's too early to tell…all I can say now is that it's a lot of work."

Another nut popped into his palm, clinking against the others. As Jyil worked on a third, wiping sweat from her lip, Oskar watched other mechanics pass them by. Occasionally, they'd pause to give them a good stare before continuing on. A particularly attractive girl suddenly appeared, wearing a pair of short shorts and a midriff t-shirt. She fluffed her blonde hair absently, and Oskar's cheeks reddened after she noticed him standing there.

"Aw, he's so cute," she giggled, "Where'd you find him, Jyil?"

Oskar heard his aunt heave a sigh, knowing she was rolling her eyes. She wrenched another piece of metal free and said,

"This one belongs to me; I'm sorry, but you can't have him."

The girl laughed, walking forward to tousle Oskar's hair. His face turned a deep scarlet.

"You're funny."

Jyil rolled her eyes again as the girl exited. Oskar narrowed his eyes in thought as she dropped the next nut into his hands.

"So have you made any friends?"

Jyil snorted. "Are you kidding? The Umbrella chicks are the least of my problems. Between people continuously bothering me for tools or whatever, I've got a bunch of weirdoes ogling me for no reason."

She gnashed her teeth and pulled the wrench one final time, cracking the final nut from the aged carburetor. She tossed it to Oskar and he caught it.

"And I didn't even tell you about the all the rookie pranks they've been pulling on me. Before I could get the Falcon on to the track, they'd let all the air out of my tires. I looked like such an idiot! Even Razer was laughing…"

Oskar smiled. "I guess Rayn's guys were nice to you."

Jyil shook a dull pain from her hands, shrugging. She reached for a bottle of water and took a sip. Oskar frowned in thought.

"So, did she like, fire you?"

"…In a matter of speaking."

Oskar pursed his lips at the vague answer, attempting to juggle the objects in his hands. He strangely enjoyed seeing the grease marks appear on his skin. Jyil leaned back toward the Falcon and reached for the carburetor, pulling it from the depths of the engine, grunting from the effort. She rested it up on the edge of frame, looking around it curiously. Oskar stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"That's the crappiest looking thing I've ever seen."

Jyil puffed the loose hair from her eyes, holding up the device for closer inspection. Rust flaked off and floated to the floor as she moved it.

"Yuck. I got a guy downtown that can get me another one." She glanced down at her nephew invitingly. "You up for a little trip?"

Oskar grinned. "Sure."

He clattered the nuts on to the worktable, snatching up his backpack from the bench. Jyil threw the defunct piece of machinery into a cardboard box, clapping the dirt from her hands. She tucked the box under her arm, balancing it on her hip. Oskar wrinkled his nose as he felt her affectionately squeeze the back of his neck. They stepped from her working space, dodging other racers as they went. Oskar noticed Jyil still walked with a slight limp, and he found he was getting a little worried about her. She reached back to pull the elastic band from her hair, shaking her head as the locks came tumbling back to her shoulders. Shrill whistles suddenly sounded off to their left. Oskar turned to see the drivers Shiv and Cutter, along with a third man. He scowled as they hooted after his aunt.

"Hey, babe-how's repairs? Need any help?"

Jyil rolled her eyes; the men gurgled laughs. As they passed by, Oskar could feel them staring at her. His blood surged with anger and he surprised himself at the sudden protectiveness he felt.

"Where you off to, baby doll?"

"Go to hell, Edje," Jyil replied sweetly, complete with a sarcastic smile.

The men laughed again; Oskar's scowl deepened.

"C'mon, we're teammates!"

"Yeah, give us a kiss."

All three puckered their lips and made mocking kissing sounds after her. Oskar moved to say something, but Jyil put a hand on his head, nudging him forward. Her cheeks had darkened to an angry scarlet as the men continued to call after her. When they were finally free from the derisive laughter, Oskar turned to face her.

"Why do you let them do that?!" he demanded.

"Because it's been going on since day one," Jyil replied, raking her fingers distractedly through her hair. "I can hold my own against them, but…I didn't want to get nasty with you there."

"_Please_." Oskar paused to roll his eyes dramatically. "I'm fourteen, Aunt Jyil. I hear worse things on the bus."

"Don't remind me."

They left the racing garage without any further distractions, heading for Jyil's old car parked outside. Oskar slid into the passenger's seat, tossing his bag to the floor. Jyil plopped the box into his lap and he sighed. As they pulled out of the parking lot, she asked,

"So, how's school?"

Oskar squirmed slightly in his seat, watching the scenery blur around them. He preoccupied himself fiddling with a flake of the weakened metal on the carburetor. The best thing about being with Jyil was that she didn't always want to know about stupid things like school or his grades. He could talk to her about racing or music and never feel like he had to bring his faults in along with everything.

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure…anything in mind?" Jyil asked with a smile.

Oskar looked thoughtful. "Well…what did you have to do in Haven last month?"

He felt the car slow slightly; Jyil's foot must have unexpectedly hit the brake pedal after his question. She searched for words, her fingers flexing strangely over the steering wheel.

"I, uh... it was pretty boring stuff, really. Nothing worth mentioning. A lot of it was just, y'know, stupid things. Like paperwork and meetings and…things like that."

Oskar snickered, stopping a laugh with his palm. She was acting so weird; clearly evasive. He would have asked her more, but a turn caused him to lean heavily to the right and he fumbled to keep the cardboard box in his lap. The car pulled into a fairly small parking lot surrounded by a chain-link fence. Oskar could hear the roar from the overpass nearby as they coasted into a space. The downtown sector was lit almost blindingly by neon and bright LCD screens, flashing ads and video clips of the races past. Jyil took the keys from the ignition and turned to face him.

"You can stay in the car if you want- it won't take long."

Oskar realized being alone in this sector of town bothered him. He could see strange-looking people milling around the parking lot, most with chains dangling from their clothes and odd piercings along their ears.

"Uh, no…I'll come with you," he said.

Jyil shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat."

Oskar popped his door open and hurriedly went around the car to meet her. She took the box from his hands, a smirk tugging at her lips. Oskar hoped she couldn't tell he didn't want to be alone, but he had half a mind she did.

The auto parts center looked like a bunker; a flickering blood-red sign glared out at them as they waked toward it. There were even bars covering the front windows. Hearing police sirens in the distance, Oskar followed his aunt inside the store, wide eyes taking in the scenery around him. The sight of machinery seemed to clear his mind, but only slightly; the room smelled faintly of cigarettes and diesel fuel.

The man behind the counter was tall and gangly, chewing apathetically on a piece of gum. His hair was styled in a great electric-yellow Mohawk and a large hoop was stuck through his left nostril. His dark beady eyes fell to Jyil, tracing her figure briefly before he said,

"Whaddya need?"

"Is Spider here?" Jyil wanted to know.

Both Oskar and the man fixed her with an odd look. She waited patiently for an answer, tapping her foot on the tiles. The strange-looking clerk heaved a sigh, as if moving from his space was so taxing.

"Hold on a minute."

He walked from behind the counter and shouldered open a door labeled 'Employees Only.' Oskar was beginning to consider waiting in the car, disliking the barred shadows the sunlight cast along the linoleum tiles. He fidgeted where he stood and Jyil frowned at him. The door opened again with a squeak and Oskar looked up, feeling his stomach lurch.

An immensely tall man stood ahead of them, his thick arms folded over his massive chest. His head was shaved and his nose looked as though it had been broken several times in the past; the sleeves of his t-shirt had been cut off and plastered to his bicep was the image of a large black and red spider, venom dripping from its fangs. A spider web spread over his elbow and more tattoos covered the rest of his arms.

Oskar visibly gulped as the man's hardened eyes settled on them. Jyil leaned against the counter calmly, setting the cardboard box atop it.

"Well, well. If it isn't Johnnie's little girl," the man named Spider said.

Oskar edged closer to his aunt; the guy sounded like he gargled with razor blades every morning. He stepped around the counter and cackled a loud laugh.

"C'mere, kid!"

Jyil beamed, holding out her arms for an embrace; Oskar stood rooted to the spot, his mouth hanging open stupidly as the man swallowed her up in his arms, lifting her from the floor. He gave her back a few hearty slaps and she giggled. They parted, Jyil dropping back to the tiles. Spider held her at arm's length, teasingly nudging her chin with his knuckles. Oskar blinked.

"Haven't seen you since you were in High School! What've you been up to?"

"I'm in the sport," Jyil told him happily, "My first race is coming up in a few weeks."

Spider shook his head, crossing his arms again. His laugh came out in a strange 'hurgh-hurgh, hurgh.'

"It's about time. Always knew you'd fight your way in. Who you racing for- or are you doin' this solo?"

Jyil laughed. "You're gonna blow a gasket when I tell you."

Oskar winced; he _really_ didn't want to see this guy mad. Spider scoffed.

"Hit me."

Jyil tucked her arms behind her back and teetered slightly on her heels, purposefully keeping him in suspense.

"I'm currently a driver for none-other than Razer himself."

Oskar jumped a foot after Spider burst into a long disbelieving laugh that was essentially terrifying; had he not known the man was laughing, he would've already bolted right out the front door.

"Oh, I can't believe it!" Spider guffawed.

Oskar noticed he was missing a canine tooth and made a face. His aunt was still grinning broadly. Spider clapped her heavily on the shoulder with his giant hand; Oskar flinched instinctively.

"Good God. I'm happy for you, kid. Johnnie's little girl's grown up alright. I ain't gonna ask how you did it, but I'm sure you impressed him."

Jyil's smile faltered slightly, but she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. She slung her arm across Oskar's shoulders and he guessed it was to show him she hadn't forgotten he was there.

"Well, I'm finally right where I belong. And I've come to ask you for something."

Spider nodded. "Sure thing. What's up?"

Jyil thumbed the air beside her in the direction of the cardboard box.

"A new carburetor; I need one for an old Falcon model."

Spider's thick brows knitted and he put a fist to his chin. "Is that right? I might have something in the back…lemme check."

He left to inspect the new parts and Jyil followed him. She made Oskar promise not to break anything and left him to roam around the shop. As he stared at his blurry reflection in the displays of silvery hubcaps, he let out a small sigh. He hadn't asked her what he'd wanted to. Part of him thought it was completely stupid, but the other part knew he had to ask. He'd already decided it wouldn't bother him no matter what she said; she was his aunt and he loved her…

Spider's gravelly voice sprung him from his thoughts and he turned to watch them reappear from the back room, a new carburetor cradled in Jyil's hands. She purchased the machinery, and the clerk boxed it up for her tightly in another cardboard box along with the receipt.

"Good luck with racing," Spider told her, "You've got my vote to win the Grand Prix this year."

"I won't have to let you down, then," Jyil laughed.

Spider winked after her as they reached the exit, bidding her farewell. The air was cool as they stepped back outside, able to hear the roar of the street once again.

"Who _was_ that guy?" Oskar asked, taking one last look at the store.

"He's a friend of your grandpa's," Jyil told him as she fished for her car keys. "Whenever he brought me to the garage, Spider would keep an eye on me; give me candy, let me watch some of the races from pit row…stuff like that."

"_Really_? _THAT _guy?"

"Mm-hm."

Oskar shook his head in disbelief. He's heard many a story from her about going down to his grandfather's shop and meeting with the Blitz's; the gentle-giant named Spider was never before mentioned. Oskar sighed, burying his hands in his jean pockets. He looked up at his companion and she smiled back at him.

"Aunt Jyil…"

"Hm?"

"There's something I want to-"

He stopped his sentence short after spying three men ahead of them, all gathered around Jyil's car. There was the brief flash of a pry bar or something similar being pulled from one thug's jacket. Oskar scowled.

"Hey!"

He moved to step forward, but Jyil stopped him with her arm.

"Go back inside, Oz."

"But-"

"Go. Please."

Her voice was soft, yet firm. Oskar attempted to argue against it, but he couldn't find any words. Jyil's fingers pressed against his chest and she gently pushed him back a few steps. He watched in worried silence as she started forward, still holding the carburetor in both hands. Oskar turned to head back for the shop, looking over his shoulder as he went.

The men were muttering amongst themselves, occasionally cursing as the crowbar slipped and they were forced to reposition it. Jyil studied them all briefly, taking in their relative heights and body types, which were somewhat concealed by their baggy leather and canvas jackets. She guessed they were natives of the downtown sector, judging from their unkempt appearance and ragged clothing.

And they were doing a very poor job of stealing her car.

She waited a moment before dragging her shoes along the blacktop to catch their attention. They spun around, somewhat startled by her presence.

"Hey," she whined, "What're you doing?!"

All three fell into laughter, revealing yellowed teeth. Jyil squinted at them in mock confusion.

"What's it look like we're doin', sweetheart?" one of them said.

Jyil's eyes settled on the man with the crowbar in his hand and she gasped, putting a hand to her cheek.

"Oh, please don't take my car!" she wailed.

The guy on her left had taken a step forward; she sensed the movement, but kept her eyes on the other two, watching the crowbar.

"I hate to break it to you, but we're gonna have to take it."

They all laughed again at the sarcastic imitation of her voice. Jyil let out a few worried 'sobs,' shaking her head.

"But you can't!"

"We can and we will," the thief snapped, "You better get out of here if you know what's good for you."

She didn't move, instead gripping the box tighter in her hands. The group of thugs were irritated, now, obviously upset with her ruining their poor attempt at stealing her car.

"What part of get out of here don't you understand?!"

The man stepped foreword, tightly snatching her left wrist and yanked her toward him. Jyil gritted her teeth, using the momentum to further propel herself in his direction. She swung her free arm and drove the box containing the heavy carburetor as hard as she could into her attacker's head. There came a sickening crack, and he howled in pain, releasing his hold on her wrist; the others jumped into action to help him. The man with the crowbar moved in next and Jyil jammed her knee straight into his groin. He groaned and sank to the concrete. The crowbar hit the ground with a metallic ring; Jyil dropped the carburetor and snatched up the metal in her hands, taking an automatic batter's stance. The third thief was almost upon her, having not had any time to realize what she had done. The bar flashed dully as Jyil swung it like a bat, shrieking. It struck the man in his temple, and he stopped where he stood, blinking dumbly for a few seconds before falling to the ground in a crumpled heap. Jyil stood over him, panting.

Someone grabbed her from behind and she let out a short scream of surprise, struggling. The crowbar clattered back to the ground as she thrashed around, trying to pry herself from the man's grip. The crook she'd bloodied with the carburetor had moved in for one more try, attempting to drag her off some place. But Jyil wouldn't have it. She hooked her foot around his leg to prevent him from lifting her up, squirming and shouting. One of his arms suddenly broke free from around her and she quickly snatched it in her hands. With one powerful shift of weight, she yanked his arm hard over her shoulder and he flew over her emitting a strange yelp, landing painfully back to the concrete. Jyil seized the crowbar back in her hands and held it high, prepared to deliver the final blow.

"No! Just wait!!" the thug blubbered, holding up his arms.

"I told you not to take my car," Jyil hissed to him.

"I didn't take it yet-"

Jyil held the bar higher and he whimpered, trembling pathetically before her.

"HEY!"

She looked up only slightly at the familiar voice, trying to calm her ragged breaths. Spider was jogging toward them, scowling. His eyes bounced from each incapacitated man to Jyil and back again.

"What the hell is going on?"

Jyil passed the crowbar to him and sighed, brushing the hair from her eyes.

"Just a bunch of idiots wasting my time."

The thief was still trying to talk his way out, not having moved from his spot on the ground. He reached for the cuff of Jyil's slacks pleadingly.

"Hey, lady, hear me out-"

She drove her foot into his stomach and he gurgled into silence. Spider laughed his 'hurgh, hurgh, hurgh,' shaking his head.

"Guess I'll take it from here."

Jyil wiped her dirty hands on her clothes, returning her friend's laugh. Her smile soon faded once she saw Oskar standing a few feet away, his eyes wide, mouth open in a slight 'o.' Jyil could feel a violent chill travel the length of her spine and she let out a small gasp.

He'd seen everything.

Distractedly, she gathered up the dropped car part, briefly opening the box to check it over for damage. Not surprisingly, it was fine. She grabbed her dumbstruck nephew by the arm, muttering another good-bye to Spider.

"Have a great day, Jyillie," he laughed.

She slumped behind the wheel of her car and started up the engine, dropping the new carburetor in Oskar's lap. He hardly reacted. They pulled out of the parking lot and traveled through the downtown sector along the scenic highway, passing several piers as they went. Fishermen had already made their posts for the day and gulls screeched as they flew over the ocean.

"I knew it!" Oskar suddenly cackled, "I _knew_ it!!

Jyil gave a start, causing the car to swerve slightly.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him, her voice slightly shaking.

"You _are_ a spy! I knew it!!"

Oskar leaned back in his seat and dissolved into laughter, kicking his legs a few times. He banged his head on the seat a few times, grinning broadly. Jyil frowned.

"A spy?"

"Yeah! Y'know- like a secret agent?" Oskar paused to point and shoot imaginary pistols around them. "It makes so much sense, now! All those long trips, the random bruises and cuts- I was going to ask you, but I thought you'd laugh in my face! Look who's laughing now!"

Oskar giggled and shook his head. Jyil couldn't help smiling.

"I'm not a secret agent," she told him.

He looked disappointed almost instantly; she watched as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door, the breeze blowing his hair into his eyes. He looked like the pouting toddler she remembered in that moment.

"Then where did you learn to fight that way?" Oskar wanted to know.

Jyil pursed her lips, staring back out the windshield. The tall wind turbines twirled rapidly over the ocean, casting strange shadows along the highway. There was no sense in hiding it from him anymore; he deserved to know the truth. She heaved a sigh, pushing herself back in the seat.

"Remember when I was supposed to go away to a two year college?"

Oskar looked thoughtful, then nodded. He cocked an eyebrow.

"I was like, six, but I remember. What do you mean, 'supposed to go'?"

"…Well, I sort of…didn't go," Jyil explained, briefly squeezing her eyes shut. "In fact, I left Kras altogether."

Oskar gaped at her. "Then what the hell did ya do instead?!"

He seemed so excited, bouncing in his seat a few times. Jyil sighed once more, fiddling with the watch straps on her left wrist. She pulled the leather from her arm and held it up for him to see. Oskar gasped in disbelief. He snatched her arm so quickly she barely had time to react as he yanked her wrist closer for a better look.

A red-orange tattoo of a tribal flame showed brightly against the pale skin of the underside of her wrist.

"Eco pirates!" Oskar blurted, "Holy shit, my aunt is a pirate!! OHMYGOD. So cool, so cool!!" A sudden thought came to him after he finally released her arm. "Aw, are you branded?!"

Jyil laughed, though she wasn't very amused.

"You're only branded if you get caught, Oz."

The teen rolled his eyes. "Oh, right- duh. Whose crew were you with? Did you get to fly any of the airships? Oh, oh- did you fight any Metal Heads?!"

Jyil winced. "…Yes, I did fly a few airships, and no, we didn't run into any Metal Heads." She looked over at him seriously. "I left them after two years. I haven't seen any of them in a long time- I'm not a pirate anymore, so don't act like I am."

"But it's so exciting!" Oskar admitted, trying to catch another glimpse of her tattoo, "I mean, we only hear stories about them; they rarely come around Kras. No one really knows what they do- and my aunt was one!!"

Jyil shook her head. "Oskar…"

He squiggled in his seat slightly and laughed again. "How'd you get involved with them?"  
She didn't answer, listening to the engine hum as they drove. A peculiar mixture of relief and worry pulled relentlessly at her conscience; her nephew seemed to accept her flaws already, but he showed an actual interest in them- something she was not expecting.

"Aunt Jyil?"

"Alright…" she took in a breath and continued. "After my mother died- Grandma-, your mom, Aunt Maddy and your grandpa wanted me to go to college instead of get into racing. I really didn't like that idea, but the truth is I lacked one important thing anyway…"

"Which _was_...?" Oskar asked, drawing out the words.

"…I wasn't a criminal. Nearly all the racers dip into crime, but I didn't want to, of course." Jyil pursed her lips, fastening the watch back around her wrist, pulling the straps tight. "But at that time, I just didn't care anymore; I wanted to get the hell out of Kras. So…long story short, I noticed an airship docked at one of the atolls, and decided to hitch a ride."

She looked back at Oskar and smiled grimly. "And so began my 'two year college' experience."

He was silent for a moment, processing her story. Fiddling with the key necklace as he spoke, Oskar asked,

"How'd you even get on the ship?"

Jyil shrugged. "If you want something really bad, anything's possible."

"And they taught you how to fight and fly planes, and steal things?"

His aunt nodded silently and he grinned.

"Oh my God, that's awesome! That's the coolest story I've ever heard! So what else-"

"Before you ask anymore questions," Jyil interrupted, "You have to promise me something, Oskar."

He grinned. "Sure. Anything!"

"You cannot tell anyone what I just told you, alright?"

The teen rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Jyil pursed her lips.

"Please, promise me. I don't want your mother to find out, and I don't want Aunt Maddy to find out, either. They'll kill me."

Oskar waved his hand. "Okay, okay. I promise." He moved his hand over his heart and added, "I swear on my life, is that good enough."

"Yes," Jyil answered with a slight smile.

Oskar suddenly erupted into guffaws. Jyil didn't know how to react, praying her heart would stop hammering against her chest. Her nephew wiped tears from the corner of his eye and shook his head.

"Oh, wow," he sighed, "Today is officially the coolest day of my life."

Jyil wasn't expecting to feel scared. "No, Oskar, none of what I've done is good- it's nothing to be proud of!"

"Sure it is! Okay…I can see how some people might think it's not the most honest job in the world, but being an Eco Pirate is _totally_ something to be proud of!"

Jyil couldn't help giving him a small crooked smile. Oskar fiddled with the new carburetor in his lap, pulling absently at a few strands of plastic. He shrugged.

"I'm glad you trust me, Aunt Jyil. And…I love you, y'know? It doesn't matter what you did or what you do- I...I love you…"

She'd never heard a more touching sentence in her life. As they left the bridge and pulled to a stop at a light, she looked over at him. Oskar made a face, flicking his necklace.

"Ugh. I just heard how stupid that sounded. Sorry…"

Jyil smiled, reaching over to tug lovingly on his ear. She pulled him into a one-armed hug and kissed the top of his head.

"No, kiddo. That's exactly what I needed to hear. I'll hold you to it."

Oskar grinned sheepishly, slumping back into his seat.

"Well, hey. I guess I'm almost as cool as you."

Jyil made a face and punched him playfully on the shoulder.

*******

'_I'm certain there's a reason behind all these silly feelings. I like to call myself a good judge of character, and perhaps I am; I think I get it from Mom. She can always tell Dana and Maddy's boyfriends are chumps before they can even set foot in the door. She's the only one I can ever talk to about my crazed love for racing; Daddy's proud of it, but Mom understands the love behind it. She understands what I see in Razer. _

_ She told me that people are all born with an honest heart; maybe that's what I know about him. I guess…even if he is from the wrong side of the tracks, even if he has done things I can't really admire him for…There's still some good in him, somewhere._

_I can see it in his eyes.'_


	8. VIII

**Author's note: So here it is! Racing action. :D Now, just a bit of info: I revamped chapter 7, so those of you who follow this thing might want to re-read it. Let me know how I handled the racing, seeing as how it's the first time I've tried it; for the record, I made it as exciting as I could. Haha. And if anyone can catch the random (possibly very obscure) movie reference in here, I'll be VERY impressed. ;D Happy reading! Oh, and thanks so much, Renji!! :D**

She was not a religious person at all, but Jyil had prayed several times that morning. The Falcon had taken to its new carburetor well and the engine no longer rattled when she stepped on the gas, but there were still plenty of reasons to worry. Her eyes scanned the vehicle meticulously, wincing every time she caught the dull shine of duct tape along the rear fender. She'd actually mended most of the dents in the armor, but to fix the rest of the car's damages she would need more money- and her first race was days away.

All there was left to do was hope the damn thing didn't fall apart during the Freeze Rally that afternoon.

With a small sigh, she straightened up, brushing the hair from her eyes. Rapping her knuckles reassuringly on the hood, she reached for her racing helmet lying on the worktable, biting her lip in thought. She was nervous, there was no denying that; a sizable knot had formed in her stomach and her mouth had gone dry. Oddly enough, there was also an uncontrollable feeling of excitement that clashed with her anxiety. It was, after all, the first time she would be on the Kras City tracks as a legitimate racer.

Jyil pulled at the lapels of her black leather jacket and readied herself to leave the garage; she'd promised Oskar he'd get to see the Rally and wanted to meet him before Edje or Cutter found him first. She turned to step from the workspace, helmet in tow, but stopped short. A scowl quickly crossed her face, hiding her surprise.

"What are _you _doing here?" she hissed.

Bowie grinned at her, leaning forward from his position against the doorway and walked closer. He was much taller than her, but Jyil had never felt threatened by him; Bowie was an idiot in every sense of the word, but unfortunately he happened to be a talented racer- one of Rayn's best.

"She wanted me to give you a message," he said.

Jyil glared at him. "Save your breath; I don't want to hear it."

"No, I think you do," Bowie laughed.

It bothered her how he had walked right in without being noticed, though she realized he looked like any of the mechanics running around; she supposed he could have slipped in during the frenzy to prep the cars for the Rally. He walked closer and she took a few steps back, her fingers curling tightly around the helmet.

"I probably don't have to tell you, but she's not too happy with the way things are going," Bowie remarked in a somewhat mocking tone. "I mean…you were working with us for nearly two years."

"She tried to kill me!" Jyil snapped.

Bowie shrugged. "If it's any consolation, she really didn't like the idea. But I'm not here to talk about stupid things like that- I promised to deliver this message."

Jyil clenched her jaw and said nothing. She watched as her former teammate moved to sit on the front bumper of her car. Anger lashed at her senses and it was the first time she'd ever felt protective of the Falcon.

"Rayn had half a mind you would accept whatever offer Razer made. But she wasn't expecting you to take it so quickly." Bowie looked up at her and smiled. "I think she's crazy, but Krew seems to believe all this is some kind of clever ploy you worked out for yourself. That you're gonna be playing one against the other and none would be the wiser."

Jyil's heart thudded against her chest. Bowie rose back to a standing position and turned to face her, walking forward again. Jyil stepped back, bumping up against the work table.

"But she can't have that happening. You're still so naïve in so many ways, Jyil. You have no idea what it means to switch sides in this business."

Bowie grabbed her arm and she glared at him.

"Don't touch me."

She struggled, but his grip was tight. He ignored her, whispering harshly into her face.

"You're a _traitor_, Jyil. If you so much as breathe one word of information on any of us and she'll come after you. You'll wish you had never set foot inside this pathetic excuse for a garage."

Jyil managed to hide the fear that had suddenly tightened the knot in her stomach. Her voice did not betray her true feelings, however.

"I'm not afraid of any of you! You'll send another assassin, and so what? I killed the fucking robot!" She leaned forward threateningly. "And _you_ will be next. I promise that."

Bowie laughed, and she cringed at his breath.

"I'd like to see you try."

His grip tightened around her arm menacingly. Before Jyil could bring herself to attack him, a sudden voice sounded.

"Alright, asshole. Get away from her."

Jyil looked over Bowie's shoulder and a pair of striking blue eyes met hers. One of the Umbrella Girls, whom she knew as Kat, was standing there, holding out a small pistol to Bowie's back. He noticed her and laughed; she clicked the safety off with her thumb and the smile was wiped from his face.

"Are you deaf? I said, get away from her. _Now_."

Bowie held up his hands in surrender and stepped away from Jyil as Kat dug the pistol into his back. She looked over at Jyil and winked. Her serious expression returned after Bowie attempted to move.

"Ah, ah! You're gonna turn around slowly and we're gonna walk out that door. Go."

Bowie reluctantly did as he was told, but not before he looked back at Jyil. She remained where she stood, still clenching the racing helmet in her hands.

"Remember what I said. Just one word-"

Kat drove her foot into the back of his knee and he cried out. In another situation Jyil would have laughed; it looked somewhat bizarre, a woman dressed in designer jeans and a tank top leading a burly man out of the room with a pistol. Bowie growled in pain as Kat prodded him with her handgun.

"Keep walking."

Jyil managed a smile, watching as the two of them strode away. Bowie looked over his shoulder at her and glared. She flipped him the bird in reply and held it until they turned a corner out of sight.

***

Oskar had hopped off the cable car once again, fresh off his last class of the week and relieved to have something to look forward to other than the weekend. With his backpack in tow, he hurriedly scurried up the street and ran for the racing garage. His aunt wasn't waiting for him in front of the building, so he pushed open the door and headed inside himself. The garage was ten times louder than it had been the week he'd visited her; too many people had crammed into the space and he couldn't move very far without being jostled back to the entrance. Frustrated, Oskar turned to head for the lounge Cutter had dragged him into the last time.

He could hear the televisions blaring the pre-race program as he padded on to carpet, at once feeling slightly embarrassed. Two of the Umbrella Girls were there, perched delicately on the leather chairs scattered around the room. They noticed him and flashed pearly white smiles. Oskar made a strange noise, the words he'd wanted to say catching in his throat. The girls stifled laughs and put their palms to their lips. Oskar felt his cheeks flush and avoided their pretty eyes, shuffling across the room to lean against the wall.

He could see that Razer was sitting at the bar, talking to the orange-haired racer, Shiv. His back was to the entrance, and Oskar realized no one had noticed him come in aside from the girls. With a slightly disappointed sigh, he slumped comfortably back against the wall and waited for Jyil. His thoughts were racing with excited visions of going to the tracks and seeing all of the vehicles in person, walking through Pit Row with his aunt…

A sudden shout caused him to look up sharply, along with everyone else. Someone was fighting in the hallway leading to the second part of the garage; Oskar felt his stomach lurch as he heard a scream. He leapt forward from the wall, watching with bated breath. Razer was on his feet, now; scared expressions had crossed the other girls' faces and they stood from their seats. A man suddenly came sprinting from the hallway. The girls shrieked.

"Stop him!!" screeched another woman's voice.

The Umbrella Girls kicked furniture in his path but he hurdled them with ease. Oskar watched, hopping slightly from foot to foot as he thought of a plan. He could only stand by and stare as the man dashed for the exit, stumbling slightly. He heard Razer shout something. Oskar jumped, startled at the fact the girls had screamed again; the man suddenly stopped short, panting heavily.

A knife shuddered side to side in the wall, just inches from his nose.

Shiv had already leapt into action, snatching up a fistful of the guy's hair and dragged him from the room, swearing and nearly choking him by his collar. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, though Oskar laughed a bit at the end. Razer wordlessly left the room to check on the girl in the hallway, who had appeared at the doorway holding her arm where the intruder had hurt her.

Oskar edged closer to the opposite wall, inspecting where the knife had thudded into it with extreme interest. Licking his lips, he took a glance over his shoulder, where Razer and the girl were still talking in the hallway. Oskar turned back to the wall and, standing on his tip toes, his fingers closed around the grip of the knife. With a small tug, the weapon came free and he inspected it carefully. The blade shined admirably even in the lights from the lounge and it wasn't as heavy as it looked; in fact, he thought it fit remarkably well with his hand.

"Oskar?"

He gave a small start and hurriedly stuffed the knife way in his jeans pocket, turning to face his aunt with a grin. She was dressed in her awesome racing clothes, including the black leather jacket and boots he thought were so cool. She looked relieved to see him.

"Hi," he greeted her. "I love this place- it's so exciting!"

Jyil pursed her lips and laid her hand on his shoulder, leading him back into the garage. She sighed.

"I was afraid you'd say that..."

*******

It was a fairly warm day, though the towering buildings blocked most of the sunlight streaming in from above. Jyil stood leaning against her Falcon, fiddling with the chinstrap of her racing helmet impatiently as she waited for Razer to arrive for their 'briefing session.' Oskar had taken his spot behind the barriers a safe distance from the track and he waved to her enthusiastically, a large grin stretching across his face. Jyil smiled and returned the gesture.

Shiv, Edje and Cutter had parked a fair distance away from her, talking amongst themselves and eyeing the stretch of road behind them suspiciously; they were waiting for Rayn's team to arrive. She could just hear their deep voices carrying through the strangely still air. It was nearly disturbing how the three of them were fighting over who would go after which rival team member that year…

Jyil reached for the goggles around her neck, annoyed to find them missing. She turned on her heel and leaned over the side of her racer in order to grab them from the seat. Just as she grasped the strap, she heard the scrape of boots. Before she could straighten up, she felt one of them slap her on the ass. Feeling pretty close to murderous, Jyil turned around to face a smiling Edje, her teeth bared.

"Good luck out there, rookie," he said, "You're gonna need it."

The other men laughed as he moved to step away. Jyil opened her mouth to practically scream something at him, but strangely it was Razer's voice that sounded.

"Alright everyone, let's get this over with, shall we?"

Jyil followed the others in gathering around him, shooting threatening looks at Edje. He seemed to find it incredibly amusing. Razer caught their attention once again.

"Most of you already know how this works, but for the sake of our new recruit, I'll explain." He ignored the eye rolls from the veteran drivers and went on. "Each of you will go separately around the track and attempt to get the best time out of two laps. The line up is as follows:" he paused to point to each member as he said their names. "Shiv, Cutter, Edje and Jyil."

She crossed her arms in defiance and snorted, avoiding his eyes. Cutter and Edje chuckled; Shiv shook his head.

"Krew's team will go before us, unfortunately," Razer continued, the disdain clear in his voice, "So you have awhile to sit and ponder you techniques. And I don't think I have to tell you that this is just as important as a circuit race- Pole Position is at stake here, and it always helps to have it, this year especially."

Razer spoke for a few more minutes, advising them to take the corners easily and make sure they kept the turbo engine flaring as long as they could. Jyil looked back at her Falcon and once again prayed it wouldn't fall apart.

"The time to beat is one minute and fifty-five seconds. Child's play, if you think about it."

Jyil had surprised herself at feeling so confident; she realized their combined times would be the deciding factor in which team would be granted Pole Position, and knew that even if the Falcon decided to act up on her, they'd still have an advantage.

Rayn's team arrived within ten minutes in a chorus of roaring engines and chirping tires. Jyil watched them with narrowed eyes, observing Bowie blabbing about something to the rest of them, climbing down somewhat clumsily from his lime green car.

"That's the same bastard I threw out of the garage this morning," Shiv remarked.

Jyil raised her eyebrows. "He has a habit of worming his way into other people's business; he's kind of like a roach you can't quite manage to smash under your shoe."

Shiv glanced over at her with a curious frown. It looked as though he wanted to say something, but a stark white luxury car flashed past them rapidly, catching his attention. Together they watched as it pulled to a stop near the group of rival driers. Jyil felt hatred burn in her chest as she watched Rayn Krew carefully slink from the back seat of the car. She smiled and thanked the driver as she shut the door, then turned to face her team, arms akimbo.

The car glittered past Jyil once more and she fixed it with a look of disgust. A large piece of cobble suddenly struck the back headlight, severely cracking it. The car continued onward, the driver apparently oblivious; Jyil looked up to see Oskar across the way, a smug smile stretching across his lips. His eyes met with hers and she couldn't help laughing.

The first driver took his position on the track within the next half-hour. Razer's team had huddled into the pit along the right side of the track whereas Rayn's took the other. She was pacing back and forth in front of her drivers, jabbering loudly to them, her heels clicking rapidly as she went.

Razer, however, maintained his usual air of calm. With his hands in his pockets, he stepped up to the barrier to watch as the first vehicle shot from the starting line to begin the Rally. The buzzer still echoed slightly through the air and a cloud of exhaust was slowly drifting above them as the car screeched around the corner. His gaze drifted over to the opposite side of the track, studying the different combat racers parked and waiting. Krew's drivers seemed to be calm and collected, though they looked considerably more arrogant than usual. Razer pursed his lips and watched the television screens briefly as the vehicle rocketed around the track, a digital timer rapidly spinning beside its image.

"They've got some pretty good cars."

The voice brought him from his concentration, though it irked him only slightly. Razer turned to look down to his left, finding Jyil's nephew standing beside him.

"Sadly, I would have to agree with you," he sighed.

Oskar shrugged as they turned to look back across the track.

"They've mostly got V8 engines, though, from the looks of it. I'm pretty sure your drivers have a greater fuel capacity to their cars, not to mention they're more aerodynamic." Oskar studied the lime green vehicle ahead and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I think Rayn just likes to buy nice-looking things."

Razer had to laugh at that. "You have a point."

A car suddenly roared past them, sending pebbles of the track scattering across the concrete. Oskar grinned uncontrollably as he felt the wind rustle his clothes, smelling the sharp odor of fuel as the vehicle zoomed over the line again for lap two. Razer glanced up at the screen to note the racer's time, not pleased to see it was pretty good. The boy caught his attention once more as he folded his arms and leaned against the barrier, scratching his head. He turned to face him, though avoided his eyes, pretending to be interested in the piece of blacktop he was rolling under his shoe. Razer arched an eyebrow, finding himself moderately amused. Oskar looked about to say something, but the words failed him and he shut his mouth with a small clack.

"You seem to know what you're talking about," Razer began.

Oskar laughed sheepishly. "Ah, I only think I do…I've just read a lot and watched the races for years. Your cars were the only ones I ever really paid attention to, though…"

The ex-racer nodded thoughtfully, reaching for a cigarette.

"It's a good place to start," he said.

Oskar shrugged only one shoulder, distractedly pulling the key side to side along the chain around his neck. Razer focused his attention back on the large screens, lighting his cigarette. He cursed silently to himself; the first time was looking much too good indeed…

"My favorite one was always the old Firespray you used to drive."

Razer tore his eyes from the screen to look back down at Oskar, his attention caught at the mention of his oldest combat racer. He let out a thin trail of smoke and leaned against the barrier as Rayn's driver came screeching to a halt at the finish line. Oskar looked up at him expectantly, only briefly distracted. He smiled.

"Now that was one hell of a car!"

Razer took a drag from his cigarette, watching from the corner of his eye as the neon green vehicle now took its position on the starting line, engine revving. He was actually surprised that the boy knew of the Firespray, seeing as how it was a very old model and hadn't been built in Kras or Haven City. It was apparent Jyil's nephew knew more than Razer had believed. It was admirable, to say the least; he'd had the same passion for racing at that age. He flicked ashes from the cigarette, smirking as the boy's anxious eyes watched him.

"Yes, it was a very good vehicle," Razer agreed, "I do miss the way the Firespray could drive- even the Havoc doesn't have that kind of steering…and once you got out in the open- I swear you could go on forever. Those cars were unstoppable." He lifted his gaze back to the track just in time to catch the second race begin, realizing he was going off on a tangent. Sighing out a small cloud of smoke, he added,

"It's a shame I lost her, really."

Oskar's eyes widened. "You _lost_ your Firespray?" he asked softly, gripping the railing for support, "What…what happened?"

Razer winced slightly, but quickly covered it up with a shake of his head.

"It is quite a long story, I'm afraid. And we don't know each other that well, do we?"

He grinned. The teen stammered for words, no doubt feeling awkward once again.

"Right…uhm. Sorry…"

Razer waved his hand dismissively. Oskar visibly relaxed, his shoulders slouching. They stood watching the track for a moment before the scrape of boots caught their attention. Jyil came into view behind them, her arms crossed. She forced a smile and wiggled her fingers.

"Oskar, can you come over here, please?"

He hesitated, but only for a moment. "Yeah, sure…"

Razer watched as the boy trotted away to meet up with her, puffing on his cigarette. Jyil looked back at him over her shoulder and slung her arm protectively around her nephew, heading back to the Falcon. Razer smirked and turned back to watch the race.

Rayn's team finished within the hour. Their combined times led to an overall average of one minute and fifty seconds. Razer's team would have to drive much faster to acquire a total that would grant them Pole Position- something Razer was not willing to lose.

Shiv was the first to of course; Jyil watched as he readied himself for the first lap, the powerful engines of his car growling threateningly as he pushed repeatedly on the gas. After the familiar buzz at the starting line, he was gone in a flourish of squealing tires and exhaust. Jyil waited until he had vanished around the corner before turning to fix her attention on Oskar, who was now standing beside her, leaning against the Falcon. She'd given him her racing helmet in order to keep him from fidgeting; Oskar had a habit of getting into trouble when he was excited. He was watching the display screens intently, flicking the chin strap back and forth as he did so.

"Shiv's pretty damn fast," he observed with obvious admiration.

Jyil pursed her lips at his curse, but nodded.

"Yes he is. But it's going to be hard to beat Rayn's time."

"No it won't. Where's your confidence, Aunt Jyil?"

She fixed him with a warning look and Oskar flinched slightly, realizing he'd spoken a little too much like he did at school.

"I'd like to see you talking that way in my position. You forget I'm driving the world's crappiest car," Jyil reminded him, jerking her thumb at the Falcon.

Oskar made a face, as if he disagreed, but said nothing more. Ahead of them, Shiv's vehicle screamed across the line for the final lap. Jyil could see Razer still watching pensively from the edge of pit row, smoking his second cigarette. Oskar's voice caught her attention agin.

"You'll be alright. C'mon, Aunt Jyil. This car was the same kind class Nathan Blitz used to drive. And he couldn't have won all those races without it. Something must be good about the Falcons for him to have used one!"

Jyil sighed, but smiled. "Alright. I'll stop wallowing in self pity…"

Shiv's overall time was found to be one minute and forty-eight seconds, a promising start. He hopped out of his car looking smug and triumphant. Jyil smirked as he took his place back behind the barrier, barking a laugh as Razer spoke to him, grinning. Edje and Cutter further congratulated their teammate with fist bumps and a few hearty slaps on the back. Cutter was next up, vaulting clear over the barrier to jog up to his waiting racer.

The next round went almost as quickly as Shiv's had, though Cutter was considerably more impatient than the previous racer; he took every corner hard and the tires would chirp impossibly loud. Unfortunately, the masked racer's desire to win had taken over his sense of precaution; on his second lap around the track, the car clipped a few of the corners, sending him into a spiral. Luckily, Cutter managed to expertly pull out of the skid, but his overall time suffered. The digital display on the screen beside his name read a bold two minutes. Jyil winced after hearing Razer swearing from the sidelines as Cutter trudged past him, looking furious with himself. Oskar giggled slightly.

"Jeez, I've never heard him swear."

Jyil shook her head. "Edje is really going to have to make up for that…"

As he lumbered his way up to the starting line, she finally became aware that she would be going on the track next. The pit crew members were already coming toward her to prep the Falcon. Oskar quickly moved to get out of their way as they checked the fuel amount and made last-minute adjustments. He noticed his aunt's sudden nervousness and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze.

A few minutes later, they discovered Edje's time was much more acceptable than Cutter's, at one minute and fifty-three seconds, but there was a good chance Rayn would still be able to keep the lead in spite of his efforts. Jyil felt as if something had been dropped on her shoulders as Edje came back to pit row, receiving congratulatory slaps on the back. She turned to face Oskar, who had already taken her helmet from his head and held it toward her with a small smile.

"Leave 'em in the dust," he said.

Jyil plopped the tea-kettle shaped helmet on her head, fastening the straps tightly along her jaw. She tousled Oskar's hair, blowing out a breath.

"Here goes nothing…"

As she walked through pit row and side-stepped the barriers, she could feel the intense gaze of both Razer's team and Rayn's following her. Cutter and Edje barked out a remark in her direction, but she couldn't hear it; Jyil focused only on the Falcon, waiting for her ahead, the armor shining dully in the sun. Her former teammates were already whispering amongst themselves. Jyil kept her eyes on the Falcon, desperate not to meet their gaze. She could hear them laughing to themselves at the sight of her vehicle, no doubt fully confident they were going to win the rally.

Jyil calmly crawled up the side panels of the Falcon and fell into the driver's seat, pulling the harness over her shoulders and clicking it securely into place. She twisted the keys in the ignition and the car roared to life. Her heart automatically reached a furious pound and she could feel adrenaline beginning to course its way through her veins. Pulling down her goggles, Jyil wrapped her fingers around the steering wheel and waited, revving the engine a few times. She could see the flashing buzzer out of the corner of her eye and tightened her grip as it beeped, counting down.

Once she heard the loud clanging ring, her foot was on the floor. The Falcon gave a great lurch forward and the tires screamed as the vehicle shot up the stretch of track. Jyil quickly shifted as she screeched around the first corner, her foot still glued to the gas pedal. The wind had caught her hair, whipping it out wildly behind her as she drove; her eyes were squinted ahead in determination. The Falcon complied to her every move which surprised her, considering all the problems she'd had with it. She yanked back on the shift stick once again as the street leveled out into a straightaway. The vehicle was shuddering a bit more than what she was used to; the Javelin had excellent shock absorbers and to sit in the Falcon as it was certainly differed from her previous car. Her teeth chattered slightly as she pulled the wheel hard to swerve around one of the treacherous loops of the Kras City track. The tires screeched yet again and she could smell the acrid odor of burning rubber. Her heart was roaring impossibly loud in her ears, louder than the din of the engine and the rumbling of the tires over the tarmac. She couldn't help smiling.

Jyil was hardly aware of the fact the second lap had begun after she'd come streaking around the corner in a blur of gold. She just had time to catch a glimpse of a very excited Oskar jumping around at the barriers beside Razer before she had turned the corner again. Her heart throbbed even faster against her ribs at the realization she was about to become the deciding factor in which team would win the rally. Jyil pressed her boot further down on the gas pedal, yanking back the turbo gear. The Falcon lurched forward as the engine erupted to life in the back with a quick burst of blue flame. Jyil had to laugh at her surprise; she had been almost scared at how much speed she'd picked up. The wind bit at her skin and her hair snapped audibly behind her. She sucked in a breath and pulled the car into another hairpin turn, just missing the corner of the nearest building. The tires dug in and held, leaving behind thick slicks of rubber on the concrete as they went.

As Jyil wrestled the Falcon into the straightaway, she realized the finish line would be coming up soon. Her fingers wrapped so tightly around the steering wheel her knuckles were white. She shifted to the highest gear and yanked back the turbo gear to fully release all of the blue eco reserve, bracing herself for the lurch forward.

To her horror, the Falcon stalled.

Cursing loudly, Jyil fought to keep the vehicle steady. She gnashed her teeth and pulled back the rounded lever as hard as she could.

"Come on you stupid son of a bitch! COME _ON_!!"

The Falcon abruptly gave a violent tremor and a burst of flame appeared out the back of the turbo engine, a plume of brilliant scarlet and faint sapphire that lit up the track behind. Jyil couldn't stop from screaming as the Falcon lurched forward tremendously, throwing her so hard back into the seat her head spun. Her eyes were almost squeezed shut from the sudden change in force.

The next thing she knew, the buzzer clanged loudly in her ears once again and she slammed the breaks, the last of the giant flame sparking at the back of the turbo engine. Jyil was thrown forward, crying out slightly as the harness dug into her shoulders. Panting, she tore at the helmet and goggles surrounding her head and slumped back into the seat, exhausted. She could hear a distant voice shouting something.

"One forty-three!! She beat your record! She _beat _your record!!"

Oskar came flying into view as a blur of colors. He grabbed for her arms, practically hauling her out of the car himself. His eyes were impossibly wide in excitement; Jyil struggled to free herself from the Falcon's harness, rubbing a spot on the back of her neck.

"What happened?" she asked, "What's the time?"

"One minute and forty three seconds!!" Oskar howled, his voice cracking, "You beat Razer's record, Aunt Jyil! His set time for this track was one forty-five!!"

"What?!"

Oskar tackled her in a hug before she could ask any more. She fell into giggles at any rate, bouncing up and down a few times. Looking behind her, she could see the members of both teams, standing immobile on either side of the track. Jyil grinned at the scowls crossing the faces of her ex-teammates, including her ex-boss, who was looking both embarrassed and infuriated.

The faces of her new teammates, however, caused her to burst into laughter, hugging her ecstatic nephew tighter in her arms. Each one of them stood staring at her with their mouths slightly agape, expressions blank in disbelief. Only Razer appeared to have composed himself in time. His thin lips stretched into a smile and he dipped his head in the slightest gesture of appreciation.

Pole Position now belonged to his team.


	9. IX

**Author's note: First and foremost, I'm so sorry for the gap between chapters. And I'm sorry for the action-less chapter as well, haha. But don't worry, the first race of the season is next! Yay! Haha. Well, enjoy! **

_She told him she loved him, flashing that beautiful smile. The wind blew her hair out all around her, and her eyes were bright with laughter. The engine roared around them as they barreled down the Kras City streets on another joyride, celebrating his latest win. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips and he laughed at her enthusiasm. She fell back into her seat and giggled madly, whooping as the car lurched over the curb and on to another street. He'd never laughed and smiled so much. _

_Until he heard the horribly familiar shriek of a long-range missile._

_Suddenly there was fire, colors blurred and tires screeched as he struggled to keep the car steady. He could hear her screaming his name._

_The world went black._

* * *

Razer jolted awake. He sat straight up in his bed, instinctively reaching for a weapon, only to realize he was still caught in the haze of a dream. Chest heaving, heart pounding against his ribs, he gave himself a moment for composure, massaging his forehead. He gritted his teeth and shook his head, trying to forget the dream; trying to forget the fire and the screaming…

With a small groan, he threw the tangled sheets aside and swung his legs to the floor, scratching the back of his neck. He muttered to himself almost angrily, trying to remember that it was only a dream- he shouldn't have been bothered by such things. What had happened had happened and there was no changing that.

He got to his feet and stretched, squinting in the morning light. Wincing at his reflection in the mirror, he rifled through the drawer for a t-shirt and pulled it over his head. Razer knew his mood would be dampened for at least half of the day because of the dream and mentally cursed. But there _was_ a cure for it, he'd discovered.

He decided to leave his hair disheveled, not feeling the need to tend to it yet and shuffled out of his bedroom. Upon stepping into the dim living room, he fished into the pocket of his jacket which was thrown over the sofa and found his packet of cigarettes. He slipped one between his lips and lit it soon after, walking over to the nearby record player. After thumbing through the old sleeves, he found the one he desired and placed the black vinyl on to the turntable. With a slight sigh, he sank into a chair and closed his eyes, taking a drag on the cigarette as the needle crackled audibly in the silence.

Razer found it almost ironic how a song from so long ago- a song that had always filled the rooms of his childhood home- would be the very thing that calmed his rarely rattled nerves. He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a trail of smoke, murmuring the lyrics to himself out of pure impulse. The woman's soft throaty voice sang with familiar urgency and longing. In another language, though one he could understand perfectly, she crooned,

"_I am designed for love from head to toe/ that is my world- and nothing else / That is, what can I do, my nature/ I can only love- and nothing else_."

Razer sighed again and massaged his temples, leaning back in the seat as the singer's voice played throughout his empty room. He sat there and tried to forget.

The sudden trill of his phone startled him slightly, and he was automatically annoyed by the fact someone was calling him this early in the morning. Razer heaved himself from his seat and turned down the volume of the record player, moving toward the kitchen to answer the phone. He took a drag on his cigarette and huffed out a breath before responding.

"Hello?"

"It's Shiv," said a familiar gruff voice.

Razer pursed his lips, grinding out the cigarette on a nearby ashtray.

"This had better be good," he warned the racer, "You know how I detest wake-up calls."

"It's about Jyil. I finished looking through her file, like you wanted me to."

He leaned against the side of the counter, intrigued. "Oh? Well, let's hear it."

"I couldn't find too much on her; at least nothing incriminating." Shiv sounded disappointed and Razer smiled slightly. "She was born and raised here, has two sisters, two nephews; her mother died about ten years ago and her father used to be the mechanic for Nathan Blitz."

"Sounds interesting, at least," Razer mused. He was actually surprised by that last bit of information. "Schooling?"

He could hear Shiv rifling through papers and rolled his eyes.

"Uh, let's see…All local schools, Boss. She grew up in the working class district- Graduate of Kras City High and went to University to major in History, apparently."

"Hm…very interesting indeed."

"No rap sheet to speak of. It's almost weird," Shiv added.

Razer nodded to himself, looking out the window in the living room. Sunlight fell lightly through the blinds; he could still hear the record player crackling away.

"Thank you for the information- I do appreciate it, Shiv."

"No problem, Boss."

"Right. I still have a few questions for Miss Jyil, and I wouldn't mind having that file to look over myself."

"Sure thing," Shiv agreed, "But if you ask me, there's something strange about how _perfect_ it all is."

Razer frowned curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it seems like there's something missing. I mean, she's a combat racer; you _know_ there's something she has to hide from us. And she was working with Rayn for two years- no one cuts their loyalties just like that."

"If given the proper incentive- yes they would," Razer replied with a smirk. He still had not told his racers about the deal he'd struck with Jyil. "But don't think I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. I'm not as foolish as you think."

Shiv grunted a laugh. "I know that. I'm just saying we could have a spy on our hands, Razer. That wouldn't be too good for business at all. And there's nothing I hate more than a slimy, conniving little twit like that."

Razer let out a short sigh, pulling distractedly at his mussed hair. He leaned back against the counter once again, drumming his fingers on the polished granite.

"You make a good point."

"No, I make an _excellent_ point," Shiv countered. "Talk to this chick and see what's up. It's getting me very paranoid, this idea of mine."

Razer allowed himself a smile. "I see. Well, I know how you race when you're paranoid. I'll make my way to Miss Jyil's abode and see what she can tell me. I'll know whether or not we've got a spy on our hands, believe me."

"All right, Boss. I'll leave you to it."

Their conversation ended. Razer hung up the phone with a shake of his head, walking back to the living room. He snatched up a second cigarette and lit it, walking toward the turntable. The woman was still singing that old song.

"_A mysterious glow/ lies always in the eyes of a beautiful woman./ But if my eyes connect with yours and/ dive in them too deeply/ then what do they say?_"

Razer clicked off the turn table, and she was silenced.

"Sorry, Marlene, dear," he sighed. "Duty calls."

* * *

The Penthouse was -oddly enough-echoing with noise as Razer stopped outside the door, one fist raised to knock. He could hear Jyil's voice inside, barely discernable through a round of giggles. Razer smirked to himself and knocked. Rapid shuffling sounded and he heard a few strange euphemisms before the chain rattled in the lock and the door opened. He couldn't help raising his eyebrows.

Jyil stood before him, dressed in a bright red sundress that hung lightly to her knees. Her long hair was held back slightly by a headband and she wore a silver necklace of some sort. What made it all the more strange was the fact she held a squirming child under one arm.

"Afternoon," Razer began, "Is this a…bad time?"

Jyil cleared her throat, obviously trying to hide her surprise.

"No, not really. We were just-"

"-Playing hide and seek!" the child finished with a beaming smile, kicking his legs.

Jyil pursed her lips and bounced him in her grasp so that she could get a better grip on him. The boy giggled again and she turned to look down at him.

"As I was saying, we were just getting ready for a _nap_."

Razer couldn't help smirking as the boy's face fell. Jyil chuckled as she brought him up into her arms, pushing his head down against her shoulder. She turned back to the ex-racer and added,

"I'll be right back. You can…make yourself comfortable, I suppose."

Razer nodded once, moving to sit on the cream-colored sofas in the living room. He slung his arm over the back and watched as Jyil walked down the hallway to his left, still carrying the boy. He locked eyes with Razer and granted him a small wave. The latter wiggled his fingers and smirked again. He listened to their distant voices and found it strange as he heard Jyil coax the boy off to sleep; he had never pictured her to be the motherly type at all. She came padding back down the hallway, her dress slightly floating out behind her.

"I'm sorry about that," she told him, "My nephew goes to morning kindergarten, and I usually watch him until-"

Razer held up his hand. "It's quite alright; no need to explain yourself."

Jyil let out a tight lipped smile and sank into an armchair across from him. He could tell she was uncomfortable with him being there, though she was doing a good job at hiding it. Anyone without Razer's skill in reading body language might not have noticed; she sat straight in her seat, legs tightly crossed, and with her hands folded in her lap. Her shoulders were slightly arched and she looked back at him expectantly. Razer suspected her alertness may have had something to do with the fact she was dressed so 'delicately,' for lack of a better word.

She didn't want to look weak in front of him.

He smirked. "I trust everything is alright with your vehicle?"

"Oh," Jyil glanced away from him and sighed, "Repairs are almost done; it should be ready for the race on Friday. They told me they were amazed I didn't go up in smoke along with the turbo engine." Her eyes met with his again and he could see clear frustration in them. "It literally exploded. And you'll never guess what saved my life."

Razer grinned this time. "Not the seatbelts?"

"It was the damn duct tape," Jyil hissed.

He had to laugh at that. A scowl creased her forehead and she crossed her arms.

"Well, it's a good thing I gave you that clunker, isn't it?"

Jyil gave him a look. "Just barely."

Razer was still grinning at the newfound information; teasing her was certainly putting him out of his dour mood. Jyil spoke before he could.

"So what brings you here? I mean, besides the fact you just want to bask in my discomfiture?"

"Do I make you nervous?" Razer laughed, almost surprised.

She was quick to reply. "No. I'm just mindful of the fact you're sharing the same space with my six-year-old nephew."

Razer tilted his head as if he understood, though he could see her pulling at the end of her skirt in attempt to cover her knees. Hiding a smirk, he calmly rose to his feet and she mimicked him, crossing her arms again.

"Contrary to your claim, I did not come to make you feel uncomfortable," Razer told her, "I actually wanted to speak to you about our agreement- you remember, don't you?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes, of course I do."

"You know that the first race of the season is this Friday; I'd like to have a few surprises ready for Krew in case she decides to make it a very difficult year."

"Okay." Jyil looked thoughtful, moving to head into the kitchen for something. She looked back at him over her shoulder. "I take it you want some 'lawful immunity' from one of those cities I mentioned?"

Razer leaned against the counter, watching as she reached for something in the fridge.

"Yes. It would be Spargus that I need something from. I've gotten things from the city in the past, but in all honesty, they don't like the way I do things. But you offer a certain insight I might not have. Apparently."

Jyil managed a smile, twisting the cap off of a bottle containing a bright orange liquid.

"I'll be glad to help, if it means being one step ahead of Rayn." She wordlessly offered the bottle to him and he shook his head. She took a sip instead and added, "I see that you're not taking any chances already."

Razer raised his eyebrows. "These things usually start off fair enough, but inevitably it becomes…complicated."

"Complicated," Jyil repeated with a small laugh, "That's a good way to put it."

She set the bottle down on the counter and put her hands flat beside it. They stared at each other for a moment in the silence. Razer could tell she was working something out; her eyes had that familiar look to them. She held up her finger.

"I think this is the first conversation we've had that doesn't involve me trying to kill you. Or at least, it hasn't ended with me _wanting_ to kill you."

Razer shrugged. "We've come a long way."

Jyil actually smiled. She took another sip from the bottle and nodded her head, one hand playing distractedly with the charm on her necklace.

"All right. Consider it done. Whatever it is you need from Spargus, I'll get it for you. Send me the proper documentation and give me a deadline, and it'll be in your hands like _that_."

She even snapped her fingers.

"I'm impressed," Razer told her, "I didn't have to argue."

He paused to glance out the patio doors leading to the balcony and watched the sunlight glint off the numerous buildings outside. It would be a shame to take this all from her, especially sense he had gotten the impression she had finally accepted her duties as a member of his team.

But he had to know. He had not patience-no tolerance- for traitors.

Razer turned back to her and placed his hands on the counter opposite hers. She tensed just slightly.

"There is something else, Jyil."

She pursed her lips. "And what is that?"

Razer looked straight into her eyes. She blinked, but did not look away.

"You know that Rayn isn't going to keep this thing fair, no matter what she claims. She can prattle on all she wants about changing the city and the sport, but it's not going to happen."

"You don't have to tell me; everyone can see that," Jyil answered with a smirk.

Razer shook his head. "This is different. You work for me, now- you are one of my racers. And as such, you have an obligation to help make this team the best it can be. You're special in the fact you have valuable knowledge that can make us that team."

Her eyes widened at a realization, but she hid it rather well. Though not well enough for him.

_She knows what I want_.

"I can't," Jyil finally said, "I can't give you any information."

Razer knew Rayn must have had something on her. But he needed Jyil's insight; he could beat Krew at her own game. He carefully reached out and gently grasped Jyil's wrist. She jumped, but he did not let go.

"You knew what you were doing when you switched sides," he said, quietly. "You work for me, Jyil. I need to know what you know."

She pulled out of his grasp and shook her head.

"I can't! I can't tell you anything!"

Razer straightened up, knowing the 'trusting' approach wasn't going to work; it usually didn't. He dramatically swept his arm out around the sun-washed kitchen. He kept his voice steady and gazed back at her.

"Do like this place? Do you like what _I_ have given you?"

She looked away from him, but said nothing.

_Of course she does. That brat wouldn't be here if she didn't_.

"Apparently you don't, Angel," Razer sneered, watching how the hated nickname made her twitch. "Apparently you don't. I have no problem taking it all back- everything. It happens all too often to rookies like yourself."

Jyil spun to face him. _There we go. Seems I struck a nerve._

"I told you before I am no rookie!" she snapped.

"Then prove it to me," Razer countered, leaning back over the table. "Prove to me you can step out of the shadow of that woman and not care whether or not she used to have you under her thumb!"

His words hung thickly in the silence for what felt like a long while. Jyil's amber eyes had taken on the tell-tale shine of tears. She squeezed her eyes shut and murmured a curse under her breath. Razer waited patiently, knowing to give her plenty of time. He watched as her shoulders suddenly sagged and she sighed.

_Ah, I've done it_.

"What do you want to know?"

Razer didn't miss a beat, still keeping the somewhat hostile tone of voice.

"Everything. Racers and their styles, weapons she prefers, amounts she usually bets on a race, anything at all that I would be able to use."

Jyil nodded. "Okay..."

Razer straightened up. The defeated softness of her voice was a sign that he'd done his job correctly. She wasn't wracked with guilt, but with worry; uncertainty.

Spies were never doubtful.

"I'd like to have the information before the first race," he continued, "It would be most helpful."

"You got it," Jyil replied with another nod.

Razer walked around the counter and gently gripped her bare shoulder. She looked over at him, for the first time not with hatred, but with understanding. It told him he'd bought some of her loyalty- but that didn't mean he trusted her. He gave her shoulder a slight reassuring squeeze.

"It is always difficult in the beginning, Jyil."

She stepped back against the fridge to shrug his hand away.

"Looks like I haven't got a choice to have it any other way."

Razer slipped his hands into his pockets. "Thank you at any rate."

She looked away from him. He turned and strode back through the living space of the suite, leaving her to stand alone in the kitchen. A small voice suddenly called to him from behind.

"Bye, Razer."

He turned to see the tow-headed child standing in the hallway, a dark blue blanket slung over his shoulder. Jyil hurried to him and brought him up in her arms. Razer nodded back to the little one and granted him a crooked smile. Jyil looked back at him over her shoulder, protectively covering her nephew with his blanket.

"Good-bye."

It was more of a warning than a farewell. Razer didn't expect anything less from her. Something told him it would always be that way.

And, strangely, he was sorry for it.


	10. X

_Author's note: Well, here it be, Chapter 10, long awaited and probably weird haha. I blame RenjiLuvah for this posting, so she's the one to thank haha. Enjoy the action! :D _

* * *

A roar came up from the crowd, and Jyil could feel a drop in her stomach at the sound. She swept her gaze across the stands of the Deathdrome track in the heart of Kras City, not amazed to see that every seat was taken. She remembered coming to the first race of the season as a little girl with her father and sisters; everyone they knew would take the day off from their jobs in order to celebrate. Jyil crossed her arms and walked through pit row, trying to hide the instant smile at the memory. She left the Falcon in the care of the track mechanics, whom she'd befriended within recent weeks; they had managed to actually make the car's ugly goldenrod body shine.

Squinting in the sun, she looked up in the stands and tried to find her sisters and nephews in the sea of avid race fans. She finally caught sight of Oskar's familiar messy haircut a few rows up and hurried over to see him. As if he could sense her looking at him, the teen locked eyes with her.

"Aunt Jyil!" he practically screamed.

Even from that far away she could hear him. She giggled and waved, watching as he clambered down several flights of stairs to meet her at the protective barrier that lined the entire Deathdrome track. His smile was wide and toothy. He grabbed at the chain link as if he wanted to hug her.

"Having fun, Oz?"

The boy laughed. "_Hell _yes I am! When is it going to start?"

"Soon," Jyil assured him with a grin, "I'm shocked you haven't found a way into pit row yet."

Oskar's eyes lit up at the thought and she shook her head. Her gaze was suddenly diverted from him as a blonde-haired woman came down the stairs toward them. Jyil raised her eyebrows.

"Your mother's here?"

Oskar looked over his shoulder at the approaching figure and shrugged.

"She came to see you, just like Aunt Maddy did." He turned back to Jyil and the smile returned to his face. "But you couldn't keep me away from this with a shotgun!"

She didn't doubt for a second Oskar would have snuck out of school to see her race anyway; he'd already been in trouble for that before. He bounced on the balls of his feet and scanned the long stretch of track with wide eyes. His mother finally appeared behind him and gripped his shoulder.

"Hey, Mom," he said.

"Look at the two of you," she said, nodding to them. "You had better win today or he's going home disappointed."

Jyil laughed. Her oldest sister smiled back at her.

"I'm not going to promise anything, Dana."

"Sure. I just wish you would have told us sooner you were driving for Razer's team."

Jyil shrugged, looking back at the Falcon to make sure no one was messing with it.

"It happens all the time in this sport—people jump around."

Dana narrowed her eyes, and Jyil recognized the scrutinizing gaze all too well; there was a reason her sister was such a good lawyer. Jyil reached through the chain-link and squeezed Oskar's fingers.

"Wish me luck, kiddo. You better get up where you belong."

Oskar nodded. "Good-luck, Aunt Jyil."

Dana wrapped her arm around him and grabbed her sister's fingers through the fence as well.

"Good luck."

"Thank you," Jyil replied.

That had meant a lot, coming from Dana. She watched as they turned to head back up to their seats, Oskar practically jumping up multiple flights, and shook her head. The booming voice of the new race announcer Greaser blared throughout the stadium and the crowd cheered again as Jyil walked back through pit row, moving to stand in the shadow of the support beams.

It was a hot day—perfect racing weather. Sunlight bathed the track with heat; Jyil could see the horizon shimmering. The other members of her team were prepping their cars, preparing to roll them out to the starting line. Jyil winced as the microphone shrieked before Greaser's voice sounded again through the speakers. He was no G.T. Blitz, but he was enthusiastic all the same.

"Race fans, it's that time of year! Give it up for Kras City Racing's leading ladies, Amber, Bree, Kat and Tillie!"

Jyil rolled her eyes as the four Umbrella Girls bounded into view ahead of her, all smiling their brilliant smiles. They each wore a different colored "uniform:" a pleated skirt and matching halter top that revealed most of their toned bellies.

The crowd cheered their approval. Music began to thump out of the speakers and the girls moved to it, twirling their umbrellas and shaking their hips. It didn't take long for the whistling to start; soon the pretty ladies had the entire crowd singing the song back to them, even as they continued to perform.

Jyil snorted. The fireworks brought her back from her daydream with a literal bang. She jumped nearly a foot as more cheers echoed throughout the stadium portion of the track. The adrenaline was actually welcoming, if unintentional-it brought her back into focus and made her long to get behind the wheel.

She could smell the sharp odor of gunpowder in the air as the Umbrella Girls came skipping back into pit row. Jyil walked forward to be with the members of her team and dared to stand beside them. She had to duck as Bree came swooping past her, nearly cracking her head on the green-and-white umbrella. Edje and Cutter growled with laughter. Jyil straightened up and shot them dark looks.

"Sorry, Jyil," Bree called out to her.

She said nothing in reply, just a nod. One of the girls walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. Jyil turned to face Kat, who was dressed in a yellow outfit, the closed umbrella propped on her shoulder like a rifle.

"I'm with you," she said, pointing.

Jyil frowned. "What?"

Kat rolled her eyes and popped open the umbrella, shading them from the harsh sun.

"Each of us was assigned a racer; I was picked to pair up with you—hence the ugly yellow uniform," she explained.

Jyil laughed. "Right. Sorry about that."

Kat waved dismissively, watching the other girls take their places alongside Shiv, Cutter and Edje. Jyil waited with her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket, only half-listening to what Greaser said over the loudspeakers.

"I heard they've been giving you shit lately," Kat spoke up, nodding to the group of men on their left.

"Yeah," Jyil sighed. "But I'm used to it by now. I know what to expect from them."

"Even when they're hanging panties all over your workspace?"

Kat raised an eyebrow; Jyil laughed at the memory and nodded, though one could tell she hadn't found it too funny.

"Yep. But they won't be doing that again because Razer didn't like getting a box of them shoved into his office to prove I was upset."

"Ah," Kat mused, "_that's_ why Cutter and Edje were scrubbing the Dirt Stadium cars…usually mechanics do that sort of thing. I'd wondered…"

Jyil laughed again as the girl spun the umbrella absently, still keeping the shadow over them. She and Kat had formed a sort of camaraderie in recent weeks, particularly after the incident in the garage before the Freeze Rally. It was good to have an ally amidst all the chaos.

"There's the Boss," Kat spoke up, elbowing Jyil in the shoulder. "Might want to make yourself look a bit more confident."

"What're you talking about?"

"You're nervous, honey. Try not to think about it so much."

Jyil heaved a sigh, watching ahead as Razer calmly paced along the track, smoking a cigarette.

"That's much easier said than done, I've got news for you."

Kat shrugged. "Hey, all I know is, he rarely comes down to watch a race from the pits. If you ask me, there's something very different about this season already, and it's not because Blitz went up in smoke last year."

They headed over to the vehicles as she spoke, steering Jyil along by her arm. The umbrella bobbed above them as they walked up to the Falcon, which shined in the places it could. The hubcaps were bright silver, as they'd been replaced along with the turbo engine, and made the rest of the car look even dirtier. But Kat smiled her approval.

"She cleans up nice, huh?"

Jyil smirked. "Yeah. I'm very close to liking the damn thing."

"Perhaps after today, you will."

Both women turned to face Razer, who had appeared at Jyil's shoulder. He flicked his cigarette to the tarmac and crushed it under his boot. Turning to Kat with a smile, he asked,

"Would you excuse us for a moment?"

"Of course."

Jyil only winced in reply to the wink she received from the Umbrella Girl. Razer caught her attention by rapping his knuckles on the Falcon's hood. She crossed her arms and looked up at him expectantly.

"We must win the race today, especially in light of the information you've supplied," he began.

Jyil avoided his gaze. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Razer hardly acknowledged her sarcasm. The crowd cheered as Greaser announced the racers would be heading to the starting point. Jyil felt the knot in her stomach twist violently and gulped.

"You know I'm not going to hold your hand through all of this."

"Is there something important you need to tell me or do you want me to collapse right here in front of everyone?" Jyil snapped.

Razer paused deliberately and smirked, no doubt enjoying her restlessness as she watched Shiv and Edje roll their cars in the first and third positions. She bit her lip, knowing her place was in second.

"I can't afford to have you succumbing to anxiety, now can I?"

Jyil clenched her teeth. "Get to the point. Please."

"If you race like you did during the rally, I don't see what you're worried about. And after that little trip to Spargus, first or second place should be a given."

Jyil glared at his smile. Razer searched for another cigarette and chuckled as he slipped one between his lips.

"Just something for you to think about." He clapped her on the shoulder as he left. "Good luck, Angel."

Jyil glowered after him, hoping he could _feel_ the resentment she had for him. He had some nerve, going out of his way just to rattle her cage. She heaved a distressed sigh and jogged toward the Falcon. The pit crew had already surrounded it and she helped them roll it out on to the track between Shiv and Edje's cars. She thanked them and they wished her luck. Jyil reached for her helmet in the seat and put it on, watching behind her as Rayn's team took to the track. The obnoxious lime green of Bowie's car reflected the sunlight brilliantly.

"Hey, rookie!"

She scowled and looked over at Edje. He grinned.

"Don't get your panties in a twist."

"Same to you!" Jyil replied with a smile.

A particularly off-color remark formed on his lips, but the loudspeakers boomed, drowning out his voice.

"Here it is, race fans! The moment you've all been waiting for!"

The crowd let out a deafening roar and Jyil felt that awful knot twist at her stomach. Shiv and Edje clambered into their vehicles and she slid into place behind the wheel of the Falcon, the gears hot against her skin. She pulled the safety harness down over herself and looked up at the LCD screens, which were focused on Greaser's face. Her mouth was dry and sweat beaded across her lip, but she gripped the steering wheel and pulled down her goggles determinately.

"Gentleman, start your engines!" Greaser bellowed.

The eight combat racers roared to life in unison, engines rumbling under each hood. Jyil couldn't help smiling as a comforting wave of adrenaline washed over her. She glanced back at the stands and blew out a breath. The buzzer had floated down above them and she revved the engine a few times as it spun. Greaser's voice boomed once more for the countdown. The crowd gleefully shouted with him.

"Three! Two! One! ….START!"

Jyil slammed her foot to the floor and the Falcon lurched forward. She was only ahead of the other racers for a few seconds before Shiv pulled ahead of her, followed closely by Bowie. They all flew down the track, vehicles glinting with sunlight. The tires screamed as they pulled around the first corner, revealing a huge swath of road that led down to the Deathdrome track's trademark spiraling route.

The first time Jyil had raced it, she'd emptied her stomach over the side of the car she'd been driving. Even if it had been years ago, the memory was still fresh. A car collided with hers and it snapped her from her frenzied thoughts. She growled and pulled back on the turbo lever, lurching forward just in time to avoid another hit. The car behind her nearly fishtailed into the wall, but managed to recover. She recognized the screech of missiles and quickly punched a button on the dashboard to release several mines, which fell out of the compartments in the back with popping sounds. The missiles struck two of the mines, leaving her unscathed.

Jyil sped up to fall into third place behind Shiv, who was battling with Bowie for first. She could tell that the latter had greatly improved his racing since the previous season; his fault was usually getting the lead early and falling victim to a cheap shot on the final lap, but this time Bowie seemed to playing a bit more conservative. He allowed Shiv to pass him, sinking back into second.

They approached the curves and Jyil sucked in a breath as the Falcon skidded around the first turn, leaving behind streaks of rubber. The engine growled, though she could feel the car straining as they turned. She went easy on the turbo and used her momentum to propel her further. She passed Bowie into second place, though one of Rayn's other racers was close behind her. Machine-gun fire rattled along the side of the Falcon and Jyil cried out, heaving the vehicle out of the line bullets. She was too close to the wall, and it would take more than a hair-pin turn to avoid crashing into it. She gnashed her teeth and wrenched the wheel with all her might. The other racer passed her, mercilessly pelting the Falcon's armor with more gunfire as it went.

"Son of a bitch!" Jyil shrieked.

She managed to pull away from the wall and boldly used a bit of turbo to pull herself back into third place. Breathing hard, Jyil was relieved to see the spiral route had ended; ahead of her, Shiv and Rayn's other racer were battling it out: machine guns roared and Jyil ducked as pieces of Shiv's car slapped the hood of the Falcon. Feeling vengeful, she flicked at the switches on her dashboard, bringing up the aiming system for her second weapon.

"Shiv, get the hell out of first!" she shouted into her comlink.

"_Are you kidding_?" he growled, "_I've got this asshole_."

Jyil shook her head and punched the launching button. "No, I do."

A large Peacemaker round burst out the front cannon of the Falcon, so fast the car shuddered from the action. Shiv cursed and Jyil could hear the tires of his car squeal as he fell back into second place. The Peacemaker round blasted the opposing car within seconds, just before it could make the jump through the waterfall. Jyil zoomed past the wreckage and didn't look back as the Falcon sliced through the water and she landed with a jarring thud back on the track, claiming first place as her own.

"_That was way too fucking close_!" Shiv's voice said in her ear. He sounded relieved and exhilarated at once.

Jyil smiled as she guided the Falcon through the next series of turns, roaring across the line for the start of lap two. Shiv stayed behind her in second, obviously now feeling the need to "protect" her. Jyil could still see the flash of lime green behind her and knew Bowie would be able to catch up once they got to the spiral.

"Keep him off me," Jyil told Shiv, "He's got something personal in this thing."

"_Can't imagine why, seein' as how you nearly killed me_."

Jyil shook her head, hair flying out around her. "He'll catch me on the turns. And he fights dirty if he can get in close enough. The Falcon can't afford a direct missile hit."

"_I'll see what I can do_."

Jyil bit her lip and shook her head again, pining after her rear-firing missiles, lost to her now. The Falcon roared on ward, engine hot and sunlight glinting off of the yellow paint. Jyil could hear the faint chattering of machine guns behind her once more and knew Shiv and Bowie were fighting. She dared a look and screamed once she saw a stream of dark purple arching through the sky. The Falcon lurched hard to the left as one of the bombs exploded beside it. Jyil pulled back on the turbo release, her heart hammering against her ribs.

She approached the spiraling route once again and dangerously accelerated around the turns, knowing how incredibly stupid it was. But if she took a hit with Dark Eco infused grenades, the Falcon was a goner. Purple streaked through the sky and landed in front of her. She screamed again and ducked down as bits of the track flew into her face. The Falcon's tires skidded and she almost lost control. Blood roared in her ears.

"Shiv! Get him off me! I'm outta mines!"

Jyil pulled hard on the wheel again and the Falcon complied; one more turn to go….

"_I can't! The bastard slashed my tires_!"

Jyil's heart fell into her stomach. "What?"

She took a quick glance over her shoulder and saw Shiv falling further and further away in her line of sight. Cursing, Jyil turned back to the road as the lime green combat racer flew around the corner behind her and began its approach. Jyil was running out of ideas; the only weapons she had left were her missiles, and the Falcon didn't have mounted machine guns. She cursed again and knew speed was her only option.

She lurched around the last turn and threw open the throttle, using what momentum she had to avoid the last bullets of Bowie's machine guns. She was ahead of him by mere seconds, and if she so much as hesitated, she'd be hit; there was no telling what weapons he had left. The sight of the distant wind turbines told Jyil the last turn was upon her. She slammed her foot down as hard as she could and pulled the turbo back as far as it could go.

The finish line appeared ahead, and her heart pounded impossibly fast.

Her dashboard lit up and an alarm shrieked, signaling Bowie had locked two missiles on to her. Jyil screamed a curse, knowing she only had one chance to do something. She wrenched up the emergency brake and pulled the Falcon into a deep, tire-chirping skid, swinging the car completely around. She threw down the E-brake and yanked the car into reverse, slammed on the accelerator and fired the complete salvo of missiles she had left.

An incredible explosion lit up the sky, so close Jyil could fee the heat. The Falcon shuddered, but it was still moving, the engine still screaming. She stared back at the lime green car and a roar came up from the crowd so loud it drowned out everything else.

"Oh. My. _God_!"

Jyil had won the race.


End file.
